


Villainous

by HeathenVampires



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Dragons, Explicit Sexual Content, Other, Vengeful dragons, Villain!Valka, and chapter 5, and vengeful Valka, in chapter 4
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:02:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23392198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeathenVampires/pseuds/HeathenVampires
Summary: When Valka realises that, just like Berk, these Dragon Hunters won't listen, she finds it just a little easier to let go of her old morals.
Relationships: Eret/Valka (How to Train Your Dragon), Valka/Viggo, also briefly - Relationship, briefly - Relationship
Comments: 20
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**New commission, and AHHH! I'm so looking forward to this one.**

**The rating covers likely violence, possible deaths and a probable smut scene. Just so you know.**

**Set maybe five or six years after Valka was taken? When she's settled in to life with dragons and is super duper at flying.**

-HTTYD-

Shoving the handle of a wooden spoon between her teeth, Valka poured the liquid over the cut on her arm and hissed in pain, biting down hard on the wood. She _really_ needed to get some better protective armour, though something strong enough to offer protection from sword and arrow while being light and flexible enough to fly and fight in wasn't an easy mix, especially for a woman who'd never really bothered with armour before her new life.

It wasn't deep enough to need stitches, thankfully, and she managed to dress it well enough that she could use both hands to treat the wounded dragons. Cloudjumper followed at her side, occasionally helping restrain a particularly distressed dragon so Valka could treat them better.

When she was finished, she dropped down heavily next to the fire, Cloudjumper and a few other dragons coming around her to rest. Discovering the rampant hunting and commodity trading of dragons was a fairly recent thing for her, after spending the last couple of years getting better at flying and exploring more of the world, finding more and more kinds of dragons and learning all of their secrets.

That was when she stumbled upon that hellish place, pretty much by accident. They were flying along in the middle of the night, and Cloudjumper started fussing oddly. After a minute, Valka realised she could hear cries of pain and distress, distinctly non-human.

"Where's that coming from?"

She asked, and Cloudjumper immediately turned toward the sound, diving them both down until they landed on a small island. The sounds were louder, and the _smell_ was awful. Valka was used to the smell of dragons after years sharing a nest, but that had been something else entirely. There was a thick layer of fear in the air, and something else Valka couldn't identify right away.

And honestly, she sort of wished she never found the source.

Dragons, _dozens_ of them, packed in cages. Some alone, others crammed in so tightly they couldn't move at all. Many muzzled. Some wounded, others clearly dead. There were a few dragons Valka's heart broke even further for, those trapped in cages with other dragons that had already died.

She couldn't walk away.

"Keep a look out Cloudjumper."

Her dragon nodded, folding his wings in close and peering around. There were only a handful of dragons with her, and aside from territory disputes around nesting season, there was never really much fighting in their lives.

Valka crept over to the first cage, trying to comfort the dragon - a Deadly Nadder - inside. The lock wasn't very complicated. It didn't need to be, it was for keeping dragons _in,_ not keeping _people_ out. They probably never expected somebody to try.

"Hush, hush. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm going to open the door, you need to be quiet, alright?"

The dragons in her nest understood her well enough, but Valka wasn't sure how much _these_ dragons understood. Easing open the cage door, she held her breath and was relieved the hinges didn't creak too loudly. Her stomach turned passing those she was much too late to help, but she'd opened a dozen cage doors before Cloudjumper began to shift unhappily, letting out a short rumble of warning to Valka that alerted her they were no longer alone.

"Hey!"

"Cloudjumper, stall them!"

She'd _never_ asked him to do such a thing before, but he didn't hesitate for a second before spewing flames along the ground, giving light to Valka and forming an obstacle between those who wanted to keep their caged dragons.

In the midst of all the pain, Valka felt a spark of _hope,_ a reminder of why she'd chosen the life she did, when she saw the dragons too wounded to fly being helped by the others. An arrow whizzed inches from her head, knocking the breath clean out of her but Valka managed to open the last cage before turning to see Cloudjumper looking very, _very_ angry. He knocked several of the angry, armed men down with his long tail, already rearing up again to fight them off.

"We need to go!"

If she wasn't mistaken, Cloudjumper actually _rolled his eyes_ at that, but he didn't argue, lowering his head for Valka to climb up on the back of him as they took off. As they dodged a few more projectiles, Valka realised several of the rescued dragons were following them.

Well, at least they'd be safe.

They flew all the way back to the nest, completely _exhausted_ but as she stumbled down from Cloudjumper's back on shaking legs, Valka was _ecstatic._ Devastated by the awful fate those dragons had been resigned to if not for the pure chance of her coming across their captivity, but they were _free,_ and _safe_ now! Gods, how good it felt to see them look around the mountain in wonder, to see the peace and tranquility, to meet their Alpha and be soothed by his huge, guarding presence. The Bewilderbeast looked to Valka, obviously expecting an explanation. She dropped on one knee and bowed her head in deference before explaining what she'd found.

Even the gentle giant was outraged, his sound of anger enough to disturb many dragons before he realised and calmed himself, the dragons following the Alpha and tension eased from the air.

And since that day, her life had changed from simply _living_ with dragons to actively defending them, fighting by their side against the humans who wished them harm or wanted to use them for profit.

Or for war.

Valka quickly got far too used to the sight of _those_ sails - a dragon's head with a sword running through the middle, the mark of the Dragon Hunters. They seemed to split their time between catching dragons to sell to the highest bidder, and catching dragons to tell to their master.

Drago Bludvist.

Valka made herself armour, both to hide her identity - she still had to venture in to towns and markets now and then for supplies - and to protect herself in fights. The staff she'd been working on as a way to see how much dragons could be taught to respond to sounds became something of a dual use weapon, that she also managed to make into something Cloudjumper could pick her up with.

Climbing around her nest, flying dragons and carrying heavy little hatchlings meant Valka was in pretty good shape already, and thankfully it didn't take her long to learn how to pick locks when the Hunters began using better ones on their cages. Cloudjumper, as it transpired, could pick locks anyway - his wing-tip claws were incredibly dextrous, and every time he managed to pop a lock quicker than Valka, her dragon gave her the _smuggest_ look. He couldn't see her roll her eyes under her mask.

Once, just _once,_ she tried to reason with one of them. He was wounded, and alone after breaking off from the others to chase after her. His features and tattoos were quite unlike anyone she'd seen before, even on her travels.

"Why do you do this? They won't harm you if you leave them in peace."

His answer was _cruel,_ and Valka went from simple anger to absolute fury.

"These mindless beasts don't _deserve_ peace."

Valka didn't remember raising her staff, or bringing it down _hard_ on him. What she _did_ remember was stepping back, armour and staff spattered with blood, emotions a strange tumbling mix of guilt and relief.

Guilt, because she'd killed him - when he was already wounded, no less.

Relief, because he'd never hurt another dragon again, and she knew that with absolute certainty.

She didn't have much time to dwell on those feelings, because they weren't finished with the 'raid'. So she pushed those thoughts aside, and they got on with it. The body lingered in the back of her mind all the while, even as they flew back. It was unavoidable to think about when they landed, and she had to take take off the blood stained layers. Her armour definitely needed improving, and possibly changing altogether - there was blood on her clothes underneath, where things weren't covered. That meant lots of places a weapon could get through.

Staring at the blood there, Valka weighed her thoughts against the twisting in her gut.

It wouldn't happen again, she decided. Not on purpose, at least. Sure, they'd caused wounds to some who were in the way, they _had_ to, to save the dragons. But _killing?_ On purpose?

Valka was better than that.

Wasn't she?

-HTTYD-

**Intros are always the _worst_ for length. Next should be better!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter twoooooo! (I am in the habit of holding the O when I say doctor whooooo and now anything that rhymes with who gets held)**

-HTTYD-

The pathetic, painful cries were unmistakeable to her as Valka crept through the thick trees. The forest cover should have been _safe,_ godsdamnit! Instead, she found the sad but expected sight of baby dragons all alone, crying out for their mother who would never come back. And Valka knew that, because she'd found the poor Nadder in a trap only half a mile away, already much too late to save her. She'd only have left to find food for her hatchlings, and she should have been safe to do so.

"Hush now little ones. I know you're scared."

They were initially resistant to letting Valka take them, too upset and frightened. She wrapped them carefully, minding sharp little claws until they settled a little, comforted by the gentle pressure around them. They snuffled at Valka's skin, learning the scent of the one who helped them. Baby dragons were especially trusting - they _had_ to be, when small and reliant on others to care for them. It broke Valka's heart all the more whenever she found the Hunters raided whole nests, because the babies were too much work for most. The trade in baby dragons was very small - they were too small for hides to be worth much, and between uncontrolled flames and their cheeky attitudes, they weren't much use as 'guards' either. So they were either left orphaned to the elements, or killed and left there. Sometimes they'd be brought along as bait, or to threaten the mother with, but even that was rare.

Valka saved the ones she could, cradling the little Nadders to her chest and waiting for her own dragons to return from scouting the rest of the woods. There were no more to be found that day, which was a relief. Cloudjumper flew them back to the nest safely, where Valka could get them fed and cleaned before seeking out one of the more friendly nest mothers. Valka _could_ hand-rear babies if she had to, but it was better for them to be reared by other dragons. Thankfully, she had some who were always happy to take on the orphaned babes, patient with the little ones who knew it wasn't _their_ mother until they settled down.

It was sweet to see them bond and watch them flourish and thrive, but it shouldn't have been _necessary_ in the first place. There was a _world_ of difference between dragons following natural instincts and occasionally hunting the young of others, and hunters stealing the mothers away and leaving the babes to die so they could turn a profit or some bored, rich scumbag could a 'pet' to guard them. Cloudjumper was her equal, her companion, her soulmate in dragon form. He wasn't a pet, and he wasn't an attack dog.

Her heavy heart weighed her down that evening as she bathed and re-dressed, eating a functional dinner before she went to check on the orphans. They were still fussy, but when the elder Nadder raised her wing, they seemed content enough to curl up under it, chirruping to one another before they fell asleep. Valka stroked the elder one gently, thanked her quietly.

Since Valka had taken up the dragon-rescuing mantle, the population of the nest had swelled immensely. They had the space, thankfully, the remnants of a blown out volcano for a base and the 'roof' a great sheet made from the icy breath of the great Bewilderbeast. Warm and strong and _safe,_ a haven for any dragon who needed it. Valka had had to set up special areas for sick and wounded to rest peacefully, they'd had to knock through walls to expand the nursery, and come mating season she expected to be breaking up territory disputes for those who nested at home.

Though she loved each and every dragon, and though Valka - and the Alpha, of course - offered every dragon their safety, she also grew increasingly _angry_ with the constant need to rescue. Every single hunter just proved her right, showed her how they could be so cowardly, so _cruel._ And all for profit? Or fear? Perhaps both.

As she put on her armour the next day, ready to go out and continue disrupting the market trade for dragons, Valka turned her mask/helmet over in her hands a few times before lifting it on to her head, hiding herself from the humans she was going to face off with. She'd cleaned blood off of it more times than she cared to admit to, though there hadn't been any more _intentional_ deaths... yet.

It got harder and harder to talk herself out of it, if she was honest. Why was she giving them such consideration? They'd only keep on doing it. Valka's only hold out by then was that she didn't want to stoop to their level.

Then again, who was she trying to prove herself to?

She and the dragons flew in under the cover of night, though that didn't mean nobody else was up; some dragons were nocturnal, and so the dragon hunting didn't end when the sun went down, but it _did_ allow for the element of surprise. A cloudy night was even better, and they were in luck that evening.

Her staff was fine tuned by then, and most of the dragons knew what each rattle and gesture meant, so Valka indicated they should split off in to two groups, while she and Cloudjumper headed down alone to where she knew the cages would be. The campsite might change, but they used the same basic layout for the most part, levelling trees and using the wood to build their temporary homes. If it was a more permanent settlement, then they used less flammable building material.

Like _dragon hides._

Valka had seen one distinctive type of tent in a few permanent camps, where they'd made a garish mimicry of a patchwork quilt out of different dragon skins. From the times she'd broken in to them, Valka suspected those tents were for higher-ups in the chain. There were often documents for things like price lists, auction times, messages between other 'leaders'. She already recognised distinctive signatures from a few, had made out the name _Grimborn_ several times.

Hiding amongst the shadows - easier said than done with the size of her dragon, but they were well-practiced by then - she and Cloudjumper crept along. There were two hunters forcing a turquoise Gronckle into a cage. The dragon was clearly in distress, but that meant they weren't sedated, which was going to help when it came to escaping later.

"Stay put ya dumb animal!"

Valka bit back a growl, waiting for them to leave and giving it a few minutes longer to be sure they weren't coming right back. She held a hand up, signalling Cloudjumper to keep watch and stay quiet as she edged forward, pulling her lockpick out and starting to get to work on the cages, hushing any dragons that made too much noise. The cage doors were loud, creaking something awful when Valka pried the heavy metal open.

"You hear something?"

"Maybe. Better go check some idiot didn't leave a cage unlocked."

Valka cursed under her breath and yanked the next cage open, turning just in time to see two hunters find her freeing their 'catch'.

"It's the Dragon Thief!"

She'd picked that name up recently, it seemed. Though how they got the idea it was _she_ and not them who stole dragons, was beyond her. Raising her staff, she let the rattles ring through the night air. Cloudjumper was at her side in a second, rearing up to full height. He was a _big_ dragon, and it was often enough to make even the seasoned hunters falter.

It wasn't enough to stop them, however, both advancing on her, with the expectation of backup after they'd called out that she was there. Cloudjumper's first flames were a warning, and stalled the hunters long enough for Valka to get another cage open. There were two more to go, and thankfully the arrival of her other dragon companions bought her enough time to get the cages open.

Her first strike was on instinct, whipping around with her staff when a hunter tried to rush at her. She _felt_ how his ribs gave way as it impacted, obviously one of the ones who'd already been going to bed when the call came, nothing but a linen tunic to protect him against her blow. He doubled over, sword dropped, forgotten in his blinding pain.

Her second strike was intentional. He was close enough that she heard the sounds of breaking bone, felt the wet splatter of blood when she raised her staff and struck him again. The hunter crumpled to the ground, and Valka stepped over him without checking to see if he was even alive.

The hands that curled around her staff were wet, moonlight and torches illuminating the red mess. When they saw she was out for blood, the hunters grew more violent themselves, and more than one dragon was wounded in the fight as metal flashed and fire flared. Even so, skilled fighters stood little chance against the fury of dragons and their human protector, those who managed to limp away burned and bloodied.

Most importantly, all the cages were empty, all the dragons escaped. So rather than stay just for the sake of fighting, they set fire to huts and took off into the air.

Valka only realised she was wounded herself when they were flying, feeling the sting as she stretched her arm out and seeing a cut there. There were small burns on her hands, but they were an ordinary part of her day, so she paid them little mind other than to cleanse them when they got to the nest.

They landed back in the mountain, safe and _home._ Valka tended to the wounded and settled the rescues. She cleaned herself up and washed the blood from her armour, drinking something strong to ease her pain a little. Not that she was certain what it was, having taken it from a hunting ship they'd left burned and splintered. That time, she'd given the hunters enough time to get away. Next time, Valka wasn't sure she'd bother.

As she headed out to the Alpha, to tell him of the evenings raid, she felt... compelled to justify it. To explain herself to the giant who allowed her to live among them, who _trusted_ her with all the dragons he watched over.

"Perhaps it make me no better than them, but each one of them I don't leave behind alive is another who can never hurt a dragon ever again. Is that wrong?"

The eyes of the Bewilderbeast seemed to pierce right through her as he pondered on her words. After several moments of her heart pounding uncomfortably, Valka felt that tell-tale breath of gentle frost, ice sparkling on her eyelashes, cool along her hairline.

When she opened her eyes, the Bewilderbeast had lowered his front legs, his head dropped too.

If Valka wasn't mistaken... the great Alpha was _bowing_ to her.

-HTTYD-

**I remember the villain!Valka storyboards having a line like "this beast bows to me" about the Bewilderbeast, which is what I was going for, if I didn't sell it quite right..**


	3. Chapter 3

**Time really gets away from me... anywho, here's to longer chapters!**

-HTTYD-

Dragons could be complicated, Valka had found. They had complex needs, moods, emotions, and some were _very_ hard work to win over, even with the soothing effects of the Alpha in their nest.

Men, on the other hand? Men were easy. At least, all the men Valka met in taverns were. All she had to do was make eye contact, look away with a demure, shy expression before peering 'shyly' over the cup she was drinking from. Within a minute or two, they'd be sliding in to the nearest seat to her.

It had worked every single time so far.

Valka wished she didn't need it, but there were a _few_ things she couldn't get from dragons. Conversation, to some extent, yes, and Valka would have wagered she understood them more than any other human, but just sometimes it was refreshing to hear a human voice that wasn't threatening to kill her in surprisingly creative ways.

And aside from conversation, Valka couldn't really get sex from dragons either, and sometimes a tumble in someone elses sheets with someone she didn't know was what she needed to take the edge off the constant _fighting_ that comprised much of her days. So when she needed it, Valka went looking. Besides which, taverns were often an amazing place to overhear the chatter of the Hunters, who gravitated to alcohol and women as much as they did brutalising dragons.

She dressed rather plainly; it was important to blend in to the background, only be noticed if she wanted to be. Had Cloudjumper drop her at least a mile or two away, and she'd walk. He didn't like it, but seemed to reluctantly accept that Valka was going to do it anyway, so he'd just grumble when he saw her get ready of an evening - if it was market stalls they were seeking, they'd go when it was light out.

Valka was no longer the naive girl who'd married before she saw eighteen summers though, and she always had a small weapon about her person. It hadn't been _needed_ yet, but she never went without it. Just in case.

People in taverns were very different to Berk. On Berk, Valka's narrow frame had been something of a flaw to most, with poorly-stifled tutting that she wouldn't last a rough winter and her mother always adding extra layers to her clothing. Valka had always been rather fond of the cold, and frequently passed off the extras to the younger children before slipping off in to the woods to disable the dragon traps. In the taverns, her build was not disparaged, and when it was clear that both parties were seeking something that ended by next sunrise, Valka didn't have to hear comments about her shape being so ill-suited to bearing 'an heir befitting a chief!'.

 _That_ was the only thought of Berk that still made her throat tight with grief. Her baby boy. Frail and premature, but so bright and engaging. He was all she missed, even if she could picture Stoick now, working to grow him in to the perfect heir, until he was a teenager celebrating their very first dragon kill.

Shaking off the thoughts and memories as she felt Cloudjumper dip into a landing, Valka dismounted and thanked her dragon.

"I'll only be a few hours. You could go exploring, or find somewhere to rest, just stay safe."

He gave her an eye roll - letting her know he disapproved - before cooing softly as Valka rubbed a hand along his jaw, scratched gently under his chin. He shuffled back before taking off, disappearing up high. It was comforting for her, not having to worry he was on the island full of strangers. There were a few pretty empty islands nearby, and a nice expanse of ocean he could go fishing in without disturbing too many locals.

With a hood up to keep the dust and wind out of her hair, Valka escaped from the spot disguised by trees and darkness and headed down the path, hearing the sounds of traders closing their stalls, passed by people winding their way home after a long afternoon of drinking until she arrived at her destination.

The time just as the sky was dark, when afternoon and trade were over was a good time to slip in unnoticed, when it wasn't so busy Valka would feel a little out of her depth but enough that nobody paid new entries much mind, more focused on getting a beer and a stew into hungry bellies. She glanced around to ensure she hadn't accidentally wandered in to _that_ kind of tavern again. It had meant an awkward conversation when she was propositioned, and earned the ire of the Madam there, who thought Valka was trying to steal her business.

But she saw only tired men and equally tired women, and the usual amount of fruitless, desperate flirting that a building swimming with intoxicants couldn't seem to avoid. She settled at the bar, stools either side of her empty as many had retired to tables to eat. Valka ordered briskly, ensuring the bar man knew she did not wish to be engaged, at least not yet. The ale wasn't spectacular, but it left that warm sensation sliding down her throat as she drunk, so that was good enough for her.

As the dinner rush passed, the usual rowdy air returned, men drinking and chatting, occasionally with an irate looking wife nearby. Valka had never gone drinking in the Meade Hall with Stoick, because she detested hearing them crowing with triumph about killing dragons. Plus, as a seventeen year old bride, she often heard "this isn't talk for a young wife" from the older women, who shooed her back to things like cleaning and cooking. Neither of which she was very good at.

If anything, life in the nest had made her excellent in one and lazy in the other - cleaning was a necessity, especially wounds and any tooth or claw shed by a dragon, because babies would pick them up and hurt themselves. But with only herself to _cook_ for, Valka had never felt the need to improve. She could feed herself, and the dragons ate raw.

Shaking off all those thoughts - it wouldn't do to stop paying attention to her surroundings - Valka lowered her hood properly and began to casually peruse the patrons. Sometimes there was nobody who she truly took a liking to, but that was rare enough. She had standards for _behaviour,_ but for looks? A man who didn't resemble Stoick was usually enough for her, in all honesty.

Finally, her eyes landed on someone she did like the look of. Tall and broad, but less 'vast' than Stoick, and no beard or flaming red hair. Dark hair and an interesting tattoo along his strong jaw. His skin was sun-weathered, and he looked a little older than her, but that didn't bother her.

She let their eyes meet. Lingered just a second before turning away, doing her best to appear shy and surprised before the surreptitious glances over her cup. And just like all the other times she'd employed it, it worked like a charm. Valka tried to avoid vanity, and wondered if it was actually _her,_ or the illusion of subservience that drew them over. There had been some looks and sounds of surprise when they found her thin body surprisingly strong and sturdy.

Of course, they didn't know she spent her life around dragons, which required a fair bit of strength. Especially carting around precocious babies who liked to be doted upon.

He landed in the stool next to her, and when he spoke Valka noticed his Norse was a little broken - not from these parts. Which she liked. Less chance they might have made contact with Berk.

And, some nights, she was thankful because it meant less chance they'd want to _talk._

"Mind if I sit here?"

"Not at all."

He ordered a refill for his drink before turning back to her.

"I'm Eret. Son of Eret. Father to the next."

It rolled off his tongue rather easily, and Valka got the feeling he _always_ introduced himself that way.

"I don't want to hear about your family."

He let out a low chuckle.

"Fair enough. I don't wanna hear about yours. What's your name?"

"Rona."

Always a fake name. Always a _different_ fake name per tavern. They chatted rather clumsily, with his command of the language not so great and Valka's absolute disinterest in _conversation_ that night. Still, she was polite enough to let him finish his drink first.

"Do you have a room here?"

"No, but my ship isn't far and the crew are all here. I'm captain, so I have my own cabin."

Valka tended not to let them take her away from the populated area, but he didn't come across terribly threatening. Maybe a bit full of himself, but he had the familiar scars of a fisherman on his hands that told her his life likely revolved around his ship, rather than whatever distant land he might have hailed from. She gave him a long enough look to let him know she _thought_ about it, tracing a finger around the rim of her now-empty drinking cup.

"You go on ahead. I'll be along in a moment. It wouldn't do to be seen leaving together."

"Fair enough. I'll be waiting."

He gave her one last once-over before taking his leave. The way he looked at her was frankly _obscene,_ particularly when they weren't alone, but Valka found herself minding very little. She could have done without the knowing looks of the barkeep, who this _Eret_ had slipped extra coins and a wink before he left. Discretion? Or perhaps an apology for the others with him - now she was looking, Valka noticed a group of men that looked a little like him, each with tattoos on their faces and unusual fur trims on their clothes. She didn't recognise the language they spoke.

After a minute, Valka got up to use the facilities, which left much to be desired but it was better than finding out what sort of 'facilities' were going to be available on a ship entirely crewed by men.

He was waiting several feet away, leaning against a packed up stall and looking quite casual. That worked, really, since all either was after was _casual._

"After you."

He gestured, but Valka baulked at the suggestion - he'd already drawn her away from the tavern, he wasn't going to get her to turn her back so easily.

"That would achieve very little, I don't know where we're going."

He hummed.

"A fair point."

And he turned his back happily, heading down a path where only half the street torches were lit. Still, before long Valka could see the outline of ships, smell the wind coming in from the sea. She checked, as they approached his ship, and didn't see familiar sails. Definitely not _Hunter_ sails.

It had been a while since Valka was on a proper sailing vessel for something other than a fight, the sound of wood thunking under her boots with no competing noise surprisingly loud. The cabin was easy enough to spot even before Eret headed to it. Valka followed him in.

He kissed her. Valka was often on the fence about it; it was rarely done with talent, and given the mix of tavern food and bitter ale, it wasn't often a pleasant taste on their mouth. But his wasn't terrible, and those who kissed also _usually_ took at least a little time to try and make sure Valka enjoyed herself too. That wasn't guaranteed with such brief encounters, and Valka had more than a handful of disappointing nights in her memories.

Things didn't turn badly until he took off his vest, pulling up the thick tunic he wore under it to ward off the chills of the sea.

They were smart enough not to have something too blatant as a marker, and even then, it was technically voluntary - the only ones marked by force were those who'd pissed off their bosses, from what Valka had seen.

But the scarred brand, traditionally placed upon the side of the hip was all too distinctive. Dragons head, sword through the middle.

"You're a hunter."

His face creased in confusion, looking down to his marking before looking back at her.

"Well, I... wait. How do _you_ know what that means?"

The symbol was not yet common knowledge enough for her to know it simply in passing. Valka swallowed thickly as he surveyed her more closely, though he didn't immediately invade her space until he seemed to settle on what could have easily been absolute madness.

"Are you that vigilante who frees the dragons?"

Her silence seemed confirmation enough, as no excuse about knowing a hunter seemed forthcoming. He lunged. Valka stepped aside, fingers fumbling before they gripped the reassuring weight of a handle.

It was no thought out plan, no carefully planned attack. She thrust the blade out to defend herself as he leapt at her again. His weight and momentum combined with the lack of layers on his top half were enough, and the blade disappeared into his chest surprisingly easy. Even as Valka moved to pull the blade back his weight had pressed down enough that, as he started to bleed, the dagger slipped through her fingers, nicking her hand as it fell to the ground. He stumbled back, hands rising to his chest. There were still fur wristbands on his forearms, the grey fur quickly staining a dark red before he slumped to the ground.

Valka stepped back, partially to avoid the blood spreading across the wood, and partially just to try and distance herself from what had just happened.

Yes, she'd rather given up on any guilt over killing hunters in a fire fight. How was she to feel about _this?_ His blood dripped from her hands even as she still tasted his drink on her lips.

Shaking her head to clear it, Valka looked around. She grabbed some fabric to wipe her hands, another to wrap the cut so it wouldn't leave an obvious trail. She had to leave before his crew returned to find her standing over his corpse. Heart pounding, shoved the dagger back in its hold and fled.

She'd probably only been gone an hour or so, but she found the spot where she'd left Cloudjumper before and sat, back resting against a tree trunk when she slumped down to the ground. _What_ had just happened? Valka had gone out to get some stress relief, blow off steam. Instead, she found herself standing over the body of a hunter, only discovered by the brand on his hip that barely anybody knew how to recognise.

Pressing down hard on her cut hand to try and stem the bleeding, Valka drew in some deep breaths, pain helping to clarify her thoughts a little as she came to a surprisingly guilt-free conclusion.

_What was to stop her doing it again?_

-HTTYD-

**I apologise to little Eret (as in, HTTYD2 Eret) who is only about 15 at this point.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm enjoying this whole villain Valka arc a great deal as it is, but hopefully this will be an extra fun chapter.**

**Chapter warnings for murder and smut.**

-HTTYD-

Cloudjumper pounced, wings landing flat against the ground as he bumped his face against Valka's body, cooing and nuzzling her until she laughed, scratching his scaled head. Oh how she loved her dragon companion, his silly, playful moods always enough to put a smile on her face. He knew the limits of her smaller, more fragile human shape, never dropped his full weight on her or used too much force when he head-bumped her - with the weight behind him, Valka's bones could be broken rather easily if he was not careful.

She rubbed his belly when they got up, felt him wrap two of his wings around her in his version of a hug.

"I love you too."

He cooed, following Valka as she headed to sit down and eat her early dinner. Her dragon stuck his head in the nearest barrel of fish, enjoying a hearty catch of salmon they'd picked up while out flying recently. She smiled fondly at him, stirring her stew. It was a little bland, but Valka found food very much a functional thing - she had to eat for energy just as the dragons did. Stomach satisfied, Valka headed down for a bath to rinse the smell of dragons off of her.

She was going to be hunting for hunters that night, and couldn't take any chances.

Well, one hunter in particular. Big in the game, practically ran the whole trade in their corner of the world. And Valka had already put in quite a few nights in taverns, both to seduce and to simply drink and listen until she found out where _he_ was going to be, and when. All the more important when he was notoriously hard to pin down as it was.

Cloudjumper rolled his eyes when he saw her clothes, knew what it meant when Valka packed her little bag and wrapped a warm vest around herself. The cold didn't bother her much, but it would look out of place amongst a lot of people in winter gear. She rolled her eyes right back at him, but his ridiculous expression only made her laugh. He soon softened up too, nuzzled her gently before lowering his head so she could climb up on his back.

They took the flight slowly, letting the sun sink below the horizon before they landed. Valka wasn't in a hurry, she knew that his ship would be docked for the night, and taverns had to be a lot more interesting than the cabin of a ship, especially for someone so busy working all the time.

If you could call the ruthless hunting, slaughtering and selling of dragons _work._

"I'll be here a while, you should go find somewhere to rest, or just go for a nice long flight."

Huffing to let her know he disapproved, Cloudjumper still cooed softly in a way she knew meant _be safe,_ before he turned and took off. Valka brushed herself down, ensured her hair wasn't ridiculously windswept before she put up her hood.

It was a longer walk to the tavern from the safe place they landed, but the walk took her past a point she could spot the docks, and those were definitely the sails she was looking for rustling in the gentle sea breeze. The tavern didn't take much searching for - Valka could _hear_ the drunk, rowdy banter before she turned the corner that led to that street.

She ran a finger along the handle of her hidden weapon. It had seen quite a bit of action in the last year or so. Considerably more than the year before. Valka's ability to slip by, barely noticed because she was a woman, seemed to be keeping anyone from realising that quite a few of the men she'd disappeared with never turned up again. Then again, they were the sort to make enemies, or rivals. And hardly the sort to be known for loyalty or reliability. Perhaps it was just assumed they had taken something and ran, or if they found a body, picked a fight with the wrong man.

It was one of those times Valka liked her slender build. She didn't _look_ like a threat, and fooled the predators by pretending to be prey.

The tavern was more crowded than she liked, but she could see her target from the bar (when she managed to get there). And thanks to her height, he could see her. Valka didn't rush; if she overdid it or didn't manage to catch his interest, who knew when she'd get another chance at him?

Valka was halfway through her drink before she turned to survey the people in the tavern, backing herself up against the corner enough to stop anyone creeping up behind her, allowing for a little shadow to cross her face when she lowered her hood.

Their eyes met. Valka let it linger for just a second or two before she turned away, playing shy, playing the easy target. _Come and get me._

Someone else got the message first, unfortunately. It happened. Some lumbering drunk who hadn't seen a woman in weeks - some got handsy, and left with bleeding hands. Personally, she thought it positively charitable that she let them leave with all their fingers.

"You look lonely-"

"I'm not."

He didn't stop.

"I'll keep you company."

Valka shuffled back, balancing between playing her role as quiet and shy and not getting assaulted by some vile creature.

"There's no need."

Undeterred, he slumped against the nearest person until they scowled and vacated the stool. Teetering precariously upon his seat, the heavy-set man leered, breath stagnant with cheap ale and much too long eating nothing but fish, all mixed with poor hygiene. It was only _years_ of putting up with dragon breath that prevented Valka from visibly gagging.

"Ah, don't be like that. Let me keep you company."

Before Valka could reject him _again,_ he was jerked up and away quite roughly.

"I believe the lady told you no. Now stop making a nuisance of yourself before you end up thrown out of _another_ tavern. Go and sit down."

"Yes Viggo. Sorry Viggo."

Head hanging down, the hunter with a hearing problem stomped away, some of his 'colleagues' seeming quite amused he'd been scolded by their boss.

"I apologise. Some of my men have absolutely no sense of decorum."

"Or manners?"

His mouth tipped up in a small smirk. If Valka didn't know he was already a little past twenty years old, she wouldn't have guessed. His lips were surprisingly full, which offset the strong shape of his jaw. There was dark stubble growing along his cheeks and chin, not quite enough to call a beard yet but still, he looked _very_ well groomed next to the other hunters.

"Quite. And where are _my_ manners? My name is Viggo. Viggo Grimborn."

Valka suppressed any visible response; it wouldn't do for him to see recognition or triumph in her face.

"I'm Hedda."

"Would you mind if I sat with you, Hedda?"

Fighting back another triumphant smile, Valka did her best to appear surprised.

"Since you asked nicely."

She gestured to the stool Viggo had 'helped' his hunter out of, and he seated himself with a slight smile in her direction. Valka was under no illusions that he was as polite and courteous as he seemed; she'd seen his handiwork. Knew she had to be on her guard, not give anything away. But 'Hedda', the lonely lady in a tavern had none of that information. Viggo Grimborn to her was simply a gentleman who called off his 'less civilised' soldier.

"So, forgive me for prying if I am, but what has you out here? This is hardly the place for a lady alone."

Story ready, Valka gave a small sigh, closed her eyes as though reliving memories.

"I lost my husband years ago. No family to hold me down, so I chose to travel. I've been in worse places than this."

Sufficiently short and plausible. It usually worked. She watched Viggo over her cup, taking a small mouthful of her drink to fill the silence.

"I am sorry to hear that. Although, I am intrigued to hear your stories of travel."

"Oh, I doubt you'd be interested."

"I can assure you, I am. I travel myself, though as a sailor, I find my knowledge largely confined to sea rather than land."

Despite being young, he wasn't stupid, and she knew that. However, it was clear early on that he had a large ego, and Valka knew all she had to do was make things all about him and he probably wouldn't look too closely.

Valka did have a lot of travel adventures she could talk about, though she did change out travelling by dragon for travelling by ship.

"How do you find passage? Most men consider women aboard bad luck."

"And others consider a lack of women even worse luck."

"Men _can_ be poor company."

His eyes never left her face the whole time, so Valka made sure to keep her expression neutral, just a little shy but interested. Being coy or seductive was not something that came naturally to her, so Valka had spent some time in brothel taverns to watch the way the women there behaved. Her excuse of 'travel' had worked there too, and so the owners generally didn't bother her so long as she purchased a drink and a meal.

"Does that include you?"

"Well" Viggo leant forward slightly, still with that small smirk "you tell me."

Valka left him hanging, wanting for an answer while she took a drink. He continued to look at her expectantly.

"I'll let you know."

"Not rushing to judgement. Very clever."

"Were you expecting less?"

Viggo let out a short chuckle, raising his cup for a drink before he responded.

"Of course not."

Of course he was. He was the sort of man to think nobody matched his mind. Normally, Valka would have loved to set him straight... though, if she did manage to seduce him to his death, perhaps he wasn't so smart after all.

When he leant a little closer, Valka felt emboldened enough to turn more toward him, opening up her body language. He looked, eyes taking their time to run down her body before they returned to her face. Not terribly subtle, but young men didn't tend to be. And the important thing was that he was interested.

By the time she'd finished her drink, he was offering to buy her next one. Valka let him, though her skin crawled with the knowledge of _how_ he made his gold. There was an occasional resentful look thrown at his back by the hunter he'd dragged away from her, as though he knew Viggo hadn't cared for his lack of manners so much as he'd wanted to take a shot at her himself.

"Another?"

He offered when she'd finished the second. Valka declined. He wasn't a terrible conversationalist, at least if she ignored the twist in her gut whenever he mentioned 'work'. And she noticed Viggo didn't drink quickly himself, sipping slowly rather than chug ale down like it was a contest to see who could end up face-down in the dirt soonest.

"Are you leaving?"

"No, I just prefer to keep my wits about me. Unless you're leaving, that is."

"Why would I leave? I'm staying here tonight."

"Just you? I hardly think this tavern has the space, let alone the patience to house your rowdy crew for the night."

She didn't particularly _care,_ but if his men would retire to their ship for the night, that meant he'd be alone - the fewer people who spotted her leaving Viggo's room that night, the better.

"Well, spending my nights around them can be tiring. I... indulge myself in a good nights sleep now and then."

The way he drawled the word _indulge_ told Valka he planned on much more than simply sleeping that night. He was easy enough on the eye that even if Valka didn't take him up, someone else likely would.

"Well, I'd hate to disturb your rest."

"Oh please, I would welcome such a... disturbance."

_Got him._

Valka kept them there a little longer, keeping an eye on his men. Viggo began to notice, as he was clearly keen to move their night along.

"Something wrong?"

"I worry your men will start... misbehaving if they see you go. They seem the sort."

"And that concerns you how?"

"Well, someone might have to come fetch you if they won't leave of their own accord."

Obviously not eager to be disturbed, Viggo took her bait. There were a few complaints, but when Viggo added a few threats and a reminder they'd be working the next day, most of his men made themselves scarce. Nobody else in the tavern was keen to catch Viggo's eye after that, looking away and giving the two a chance to head up the stairs to the taverns rooms relatively unnoticed. Valka inwardly laughed at Viggo's initial surprise when she stood. She was not a short woman.

A couple of drinks beforehand often helped Valka suppress the early sparks of revulsion, before she was able to let herself feel anything else. Valka wasn't above enjoying it if they turned out to be half-decent in bed. Part of allowing herself to become who she now was had included a great deal of personal reflection. Just because her cause was just did not mean Valka was beyond reproach; she was not a 'good' person, and she'd made her peace with that.

A good person couldn't do what she did, but what she did was for the good of the dragons. Valka was fine with that arrangement, and had nobody to answer to but herself for it.

He tasted of the expensive wine he'd been sipping, stubble scraping against Valka's face as his full mouth clashed harshly with her own. It didn't surprise her much that as soon as doors were closed and they were alone, he was rougher. Wasn't surprised his facade of gentlemanly politeness was just that - a facade. The eagerness of a young man still fresh from his teen years definitely made her task easier, wine and base instincts urging him on.

Valka let him do as he pleased for just a minute, but when he yanked at her warm winter vest she stilled him. He pulled back, scowl forming on his face.

"I would rather you didn't tear my clothes. I do still have to wear them tomorrow."

"Then take them off."

She liked it better that way, choosing where her clothes dropped meaning she'd have the easiest access to what she needed later. Viggo began to undress himself when he saw Valka doing so. He was in good shape, she noted, still growing in to his adult body but his _work_ gave him a fair amount of muscle, and the money made in the dragon trade meant that he likely never went hungry. And there on his hip was the mark she'd been expecting, the brand already long healed and the scar almost completely faded to white.

His eyes roamed her skin greedily as Valka disrobed, lingering briefly on the faded marks on her stomach.. There was little she could do about them, and though he looked, he did not ask. The assumption was likely that the child was lost somehow. In a way, that was true.

Valka pushed thoughts of her son from her mind, needing to be present in the moment to deal with Viggo. When the last of her clothing fell to the ground, leaving her bare in front of him, Viggo pushed down his own shorts before pushing her back toward the bed. She wasn't surprised he wanted her horizontal so quickly, as it removed the issue of insecurity about her height over his.

When he climbed on top of her, Valka let him kiss her for a minute, his mouth hot and eager against hers. He grunted in surprise when she rolled them, straddling him and smirking at his shock.

"You think you're in control here?"

"That is usually how it works."

She laughed lightly, feeling his cock twitch and swell despite his apparent distaste for their positions.

"If you want a meek young girl who just lays there and takes it, then go find one."

The challenge in his face thrilled her. His hands came to rest on her thighs, gripping tight.

"Not as quiet as you appear, are you?"

"Are you the gentleman you appear to be?"

His eyebrows rose slightly before his mouth quirked up, smirking.

"I suppose we'll see."

His hands tightened further upon her thighs, the pressure of his fingertips hard enough to hurt. Perhaps he'd expected it to surprise her.

He was in for a shock. Valka felt her thighs twitch as heat rose within her, knowing that she'd conditioned her body to enjoy certain kinds of pain. His grip on her legs was _nothing,_ really. Viggo clearly felt her grow wetter where Valka straddled his stomach, and Valka wasn't surprised to see the familiar spark of a sadist in his face. The ones she set out to kill always wanted to hurt her, she'd found. It was no surprise, really. They took pleasure in the pain and suffering of others, be it dragons or people.

His hands slid up to her hips, confusing Valka initially when the pressure of his hands indicated she should move forward, not back. Her balance almost toppled, Valka leant forward to brace her hands against the wall as Viggo urged her on until she realised where he wanted her, not especially graceful as they shifted limbs under and over until she was inches away from his mouth. His scruff scraped the tender skin of her inner thigh, the feel of his breath so close to her wetness enough to make her shiver. She knew what he aimed to do, though it was a rare enough occurrence that Valka confessed herself surprised. It wasn't even something Valka _knew_ about the first time it happened; Stoick had certainly never done such things in their brief coupling sessions.

Even more so was the apparent skill with which he moved his tongue, the way his lips grazed lightly before his tongue lashed more harshly, hands squeezing roughly at her backside as he bit at her inner thigh, bruising the skin there with his teeth. The pain sent a blistering rush through her, heat in her belly fuelled by his tongue, by the wet suction of his lips on _that_ spot that made her muscles spasm and her toes curl. She tried to stay quiet as a matter of pride, but whimpers and moans still slipped free.

As she got over her initial shock, Valka braced her weight better and began to grind herself down, encouraging his motions, seeking more pressure. His hands tightened their grip on her ass, curving his hands to dig his nails into her lower back. It sent a sharp tingle up and down her spine, left her teetering on the edge quicker than she expected. Valka half-considered complimenting his lungs, as he never seemed to need to stop for air, tongue dragging along her slit before he latched on again and _sucked,_ the final push she needed to come on his mouth. Her thighs tightened around his head enough that he grunted, the vibration of that sound rolling through her.

A little irritated with herself for allowing him to pull down her guard, even just for that brief moment of climax, Valka forced herself to catch her breath and climb down from that position, ignoring the quivering of her legs until she was stable enough on the bed again.

"No need to look so smug."

"Oh, I disagree. Pleasuring a woman is an art so few seem to appreciate."

Still smug, Viggo pushed himself up onto his knees over her, clearly enjoying feeling much taller than her in that moment. Valka wasn't surprised he expected her to return the favour - taking glee in her pleasure was quite clearly an ego trip for him, a skill he held that he felt made him more than other men.

"If you try and force it, it won't be pretty."

She saw his mind work over her words, waited for him to nod before she shifted. His cock was nothing extraordinary, slightly curved below the ruddy head as it bobbed up between his legs. But he was a man, and so she didn't _say_ that, because they never liked to hear it. Not even when they made rude comments first.

As he slipped between her parted lips Valka felt his fingers flex against the back of her neck, felt his hand tighten in her hair. She knew he wanted to push her, to use her mouth rather than let her do it, but he'd taken her warning to heart. It hadn't been a lie - Valka _did_ gag when they were too rough, though that didn't always stop them. His cock twitched against her tongue, seemed to swell further when she sucked harder, and each time her lips brushed back and forth over the swollen head he gasped aloud. Her fingers curled around the base, stopping him from going too deep while keeping him stimulated, his cock hot and solid to the touch.

He surprised her - and almost got himself _bitten_ \- when he pulled her back roughly, smirking down at her spit-wet chin and swollen lips.

"On your back."

 _That_ surprised her too, but Valka wasn't going to fight about not turning her back if he wasn't going to make her. When she didn't move quickly enough he pushed, moving her legs until he could settle between them. His hands were rough as they moved her, but there was no _force_ in it - he watched to see if she fought, but Valka let him, part of her wanting the night to move on so she could kill him and be done with it, and the rest of her eager to at least enjoy him while it lasted.

Though slender compared to most of his men, he was still broader and heavier than she was and Valka _felt_ the weight of him on her hips as he fidgeted, before it was lifted somewhat by him finding the position he wanted. He pressed his cock down with his thumb, dragging the head over where Valka was slick and sensitive, smirking at the jolt it sent through her before he pressed inward. The slight curve of him turned out to be a bonus, Valka found as it pressed him against a spot inside her that made her legs shake. Calloused hands ran from her knees to her hips before sliding around, cupping her backside and tipping up her hips, the position letting him sink a little deeper.

"I pictured your legs wrapped around me like this the moment I saw you."

"And there was me thinking you were just being polite."

"I was. I _politely_ thought about your legs wrapped around me. Is that better?"

Valka clenched around him, thrilling in that surge of power she felt when he let out a guttural groan. Oh, it wasn't what she was there for, but Valka did not deny she enjoyed the power she could hold over them _before_ there was ever a blade in her hand. Especially when they saw women as weaker, saw her as fragile. Valka was happy that for some, the last thing they ever learned was that women were _dangerous._

She was right all along that he was no gentleman; his first thrusts left her gasping, just deep enough to ache with him cradled flush against her. Already sweating with the warmth of his chest pressed against her own, the rising heat that each clash of their hips fuelled did nothing to cool her down. His fingers buried themselves in her hair, coming loose at the back from all the moving around, and used the grip to tug her head back, exposing her throat to him. He _bit_ her, sucking harshly before he pulled back and Valka knew a bruise was blooming in the shape of his teeth.

 _He'd_ be gone before that mark was. The thought sent a delicious shiver through her, soon enough for Viggo to mistake it as a response to his bite. Valka left him to think that, arching up into him to encourage him to continue moving. He took the hint and began to thrust again, folding one of his arms just above her head when the bed began to rattle against the wall. Valka laughed to herself as she heard the thumping sound of someone in the next room protesting. Tipping up her hips, Valka moaned, raking her nails down Viggo's back to let him know he wasn't the only one who could play rough. He shuddered, groaning against her ear. When her hand splayed over his scratched back, she felt little spots of blood wet her fingertips.

Seeming spurred on by her nails breaking skin, Viggo hiked her legs higher up his body, shifting the angle and his next thrusts almost had Valka seeing stars. Deep and jarring, he fucked her harder, quicker, rhythm beginning to falter before long. Old enough to know what he was doing, but young enough that eagerness to climax could still get the better of him with a little push.

When Valka's fingers moved to touch herself, he batted her hand away and replaced it with his, the pads of his fingertips rough and urgent as they stroked her. Despite his efforts, Viggo still came first, hips stuttering against hers before she felt him swell and spill with a low grunt. As soon as he had enough control over his hands again, Viggo's motions resumed until Valka was clenching around his softening cock as she came, her fingers twisting in the ruined sheets beneath her.

Unwrapping her legs from his hips, Valka felt him slip free of her, fighting a grimace at the feel of their mingled fluids leaking out and watching to see if once was enough. Their bodies had slanted across the bed somewhat, so she had to move for him to be able to lie down. Which he did, stretching himself out still fully naked. Valka sat up properly, noticing the banging on the wall had stopped - little wonder, since _their_ banging on the wall had also ceased.

"You can show yourself out when you've dressed."

Valka raised an eyebrow, but Viggo had already closed his eyes, arms folded up behind his head. She doubted he was going to sleep like that - he'd probably catch a chill. He hadn't even wiped himself down. Valka spotted his tunic on the ground and used that for herself with a smirk before she started picking up her clothes. She glanced over her shoulder and saw his eyes were still closed. Gripping her dagger, Valka surged forward.

The blade was keen and she was practiced, driving it down into his heart and twisting when it was as deep as it would go. He barely had time to choke out a bloody gasp before Valka was stepping back, bloodied blade in her hand as his body gave a few weak, pitiful thrashes, then stilled. Blood continued to bubble up from his wound and ooze down over his side, spreading slowly across the bedding. For her own gratification more than anything, she reached over and slashed across his dragon hunters brand.

Valka wiped the blade clean and dressed herself quickly, tidied her hair up into her hood and slipped from the room. Their neighbour was peering out and she made sure not to let him see too much of her face, but heard him curse her for being noisy as she left. As she slipped out of the tavern, breathing in the cold night air, Valka let herself feel glee and relief. He was dead, and she'd escaped the tavern without incident.

She kept vigilant all the way back to where she was going to meet Cloudjumper, relaxing only when she was hidden amongst the shadows again.

Well, that was another tavern she probably couldn't go back to. It was a growing problem, she chuckled to herself, as the body count on her dagger continued to climb. She'd not been there too long when she heard wings overhead, raising her fingers to her lips and whistling up at Cloudjumper. He swooped down and landed, nuzzling Valka happily and cooing as she scratched his chin.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Let's go home."

-HTTYD-

**This was not how I expected to write my first Valka/Viggo smut, but I'm not sorry.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Had so much fun talking out the plans for this fic with commissioner. _So_ excited for the rest of the story!**

**Originally this fic was only meant to contain _one_ sexy scene. It now contains a second. So warnings for smuts.  
**

-HTTYD-

Caring for the dragons in her nest was about the only time Valka's life seemed quiet by then. So many battles, so much blood soaked into her armour that the stains were long set in. She'd thought of making more, but what was the point if she was only going to get them bloody again?

Sometimes flying was peaceful too, but she was always a little on edge, unable to help but scan the horizon for sails that made her heart sink and her anger flare.

As she laid down in the nursery that evening, a little baby Sand Wraith fast asleep in her lap letting out funny little snoring sounds, Valka sighed to herself. She wasn't _lonely,_ and when she was, a night in a tavern usually fixed it. But when she held the small, sweet baby dragons, Valka _ached_ for how much she missed her son. He had to be at least fifteen by then, far from a _baby_ anymore, but her only memories of him were of the little babe that nestled in her arms and smiled up at her.

Sensing her low mood, Cloudjumper shuffled as close as he dared without risking waking the sleeping Sand Wraith and cooed softly at her. She reached to pat his side, giving him a sad smile.

"Don't worry Cloudjumper, I'm alright. Just some memories."

He warbled a low, mournful sound, then did his best to lie down near her, eyes closing happily when Valka rubbed his horned head. She remembered the first time she saw him, looming huge and scary over her baby boy.

Except, he wasn't so scary. Hiccup had seen that. Giggled and grasped at the big beast, who fixed curious eyes on the little babe. Cloudjumper had obviously not known much about humans. She'd had to teach him things like privacy when she answered nature's call, and bath water that wasn't an ice cold river, and that she had to cook her meat. And while Valka was pretty cold-resistant, she wasn't a reptile. He knew it all _now,_ but she had had to teach him.

If only she could have taught people about dragons too.

Gods, if only she could have taught her _son._

The loneliness was starting to gnaw at her more intently the longer she dwelled on her son. Valka carefully shifted the slumbering Sand Wraith and crept off without waking him, Cloudjumper shuffling along behind her until they were out of the nursery.

"Rrroww?"

"I know. I just miss my son. You remember him? He helped you show me the truth. He was never afraid of you. Not even when you... I know you were only defending yourself, but setting fire to that hut was dangerous."

Cloudjumper gave her a sort of "whoops?" look, and Valka couldn't really stay mad at him - Stoick _had_ come very close to taking off a nose plate or two with that axe he wielded, and part of her knew Cloudjumper was trying to protect _her_ too - so she just patted his side.

"Daft dragon."

He nuzzled Valka until she was giggling, batting him away playfully. It only made Cloudjumper more persistent, wrapping his wings around her and she allowed the cuddle, smiling and feeling less of that awful loneliness again with his warm, scaled belly under her hands. He rumbled happily when she scratched gently, soon flopping down on to the ground so she could give him the belly rubs he denied enjoying.

"Your secret is safe with me."

Valka joked when he jumped up at the sound of other dragons, not wanting to be seen laying belly up to her when he assumed the position of second in command within the Alpha's nest. He ruffled his wings as she laughed, and the two of them continued on with their day. Hiccup lingered on her mind though, Valka picturing him as a toddler playing in the nursery with the dragons, a young boy oooh-ing and aaah-ing over eggs. Sometimes even as a teenager, gangly and thin like her, clumsy on the back of a dragon but joyful up in the air...

Shaking off the thoughts, Valka was just changing her clothes to go tavern hopping and _ease_ the loneliness when a few scouts returned, anxiously squawking and shuffling in that way that said " _we need to go!"_. So instead, Valka turned to get her armour instead, clambering up on Cloudjumper's back with her helmet on and her staff in hand. With a team of the best fighters in the nest behind her - Valka hated to ask it of them, but they were all there by choice to defend themselves, and likely would even if she wasn't there - they were in the air before long, following the trail the scouts led her on.

She recognised the sails, though the first time she saw them Valka hadn't had _any_ idea they were actually hunters sails. Not until that man took off his vest and exposed that brand...

A few shakes of her staff in certain ways signalled the others - _go slow, stay out of sight, they have caged dragons -_ before they dropped down to where the ship was docked for the night. That made it easier - the dragons were always stored in one spot, so the noise of them trying to escape didn't wake the sleeping trappers. There were a couple on guard duty, obviously, because Valka's escapades as a vigilante freeing them was well known.

Their set up was on a small island, a rather large amount of forest behind them. Not the wisest idea for those who captured fire breathing reptiles, but Valka _had_ smashed up a bunch of their old forts before. Perhaps they'd just decided to set up near a supply of building materials - they knew Valka wasn't going to burn down a whole forest. There might have been dragons in it.

There weren't many dragons there, but there also weren't a lot of the crew either. Valka hummed in thought as the dragons burned down the fort, thinking to herself as she unlocked cages. Perhaps they were on the nearest island, taking a break before they went out to fill the ship? It wasn't a big catch, and the crew that sailed under those colours worked for Drago Bludvist himself. Drago was known to be angry with small catches. She could imagine them wanting to take the edge off their worries before they faced him.

He'd been known to kill those who displeased him, after all.

They didn't have any seriously wounded dragons, and so Valka sent them back to the nest alone. Cloudjumper was confused as she turned him toward the next island, probably an hour by sail but only minutes on dragon back.

Valka landed down out of the way, taking off her armour and wrapping it up in a large animal skin she'd taken from the fort they'd destroyed. Cloudjumper was not impressed when he saw what she had on underneath, though it was by luck really - she'd been dressing in her 'normal' clothes when the scouts appeared.

"I'm just going to see if they're here. It would be a wasted opportunity otherwise."

He rolled his eyes, but brushed aside some foliage to set up and wait. Valka tucked her things under a bush to retrieve later, patting her dragon reassuringly. She smelled a little of the smoke from the fight, but that couldn't be helped and she was still likely to smell better than half the people in the tavern. Her legs ached a little after all the running and jumping around in the fight, but the walk wasn't a rush and the ground was quite forgiving, so by the time Valka reached the tavern, the pain was pretty much gone.

She saw what she was looking for right away - the fur lined vests and armbands, tattooed chests and the strange language. Several were looking forlorn, the others pretty drunk.

One looked _very_ familiar.

_Dragon hunting must run in the family._

Valka approached the bar and ordered herself a drink, ignoring a few unsubtle looks from other patrons as she eyed the dead ringer, wracking her brains for the name of who she strongly suspected was his father.

After she took a long swallow of ale, Valka lowered her cup and noticed she'd caught his eye. The same eyes too, an interesting shade of amber. The son was much younger, face less weathered though his hands and arms were littered with scars all the same.

Well, she'd been planning on coming out to a tavern to assuage her loneliness anyway...

Valka gave him the usual 'shy' look over her drink, looking away for a minute to feign feeling flustered. When she turned back, he was watching her openly. A small smile, and less than a minute later he was making his way over.

"Mind if I sit here?"

_Your father asked me that._

"Not at all."

His accent wasn't as thick, and Norse didn't sound so unpracticed on his tongue. Valka supposed this one had spent longer out at sea, travelling further from his homelands. He also smiled more. Valka wasn't sure why she noticed that.

"I'm Eret, son of Eret."

Yep. Definitely the son.

"I'm Rona."

It was the same name she'd used with his father - he was the first one she'd killed when it wasn't a fire fight, and so that night was one of the few that really lingered in her mind. The rest had started to blur together in her mind by then. Some she didn't bother finishing undressing with before they were dead on the floor. Others that had become violent behind closed doors, and forced her hand sooner rather than later.

"So, what brings you out here?"

"I travel. You?"

"I'm a sailor. So... I guess I travel too."

_And a dragon trapper._

"Seems so."

He took a sip of his drink, still looking her over.

"Not much of a talker?"

"My people skills are a little rusty."

Despite the down mood most of his crew mates seemed afflicted by, _this_ Eret was surprisingly jovial, and didn't seem overly concerned that Valka wasn't especially chatty. He seemed happy to carry on the conversation for her, until both were two drinks down and, to her great surprise, he actually made her _laugh._ When had another human done that for her? It was always dragons she laughed and joked with.

Valka almost told him he was better company than his father had been, but _that_ would have been an awkward explanation to make.

He was _warm,_ Valka couldn't keep from noticing. Where she sat next to him, she could feel the heat of his skin even through her clothes. Eret drained the rest of his drink, then laid his cup down on the bar.

"Well, I came here to drink my sorrows, but you've certainly brightened my night."

Valka raised an eyebrow.

"Leaving so soon?"

"Well..." _go on, ask_ "you're welcome to come up with me, if you don't want it to end yet."

Valka pretended to think about it. He was definitely attractive (for a hunter), in much the same way his father had been, though not quite as rough around the edges. Not that she'd gotten to _that_ with his father, what with the sudden death and all.

"How old are you?"

He faltered, seeming surprised by the question.

"Twenty. I think. Maybe twenty one. You lose track a bit at sea, but I started sailing at fifteen when my father died and I know I've seen five summers since. Why?"

"Just didn't want to be taking a boy to bed."

Eret frowned, looking her up and down.

"You don't look that old to me."

Valka was probably fifteen years his senior by then. She lost track a little herself, mostly measured years in the hatching cycles of dragons. Still, he wasn't a child, and he approached her willingly.

"Quite the charmer. Lead the way."

Seeming very pleased, Eret hopped up from his stool and gestured for her to follow him upstairs. Valka finished her drink and followed him, noticing he waved to his crew before they disappeared. That was unfortunate, as it meant they saw her - if she left Eret in the same state she had his father, suspicions would definitely have fallen upon her.

For the first time in a while, Valka pushed that thought aside. She'd worry about that later; she'd been wanting to go out for the night anyway.

Valka excused herself to the bathroom once Eret showed her which room was his, needing a minute to brace herself. As she fumbled around in the half-lit room - one of the flames in there had gone out, casting half the room in to shadow - Valka noted the strange flutter in her belly. He was a trapper, but Valka's raw emotions were a little vulnerable after letting herself dwell on her son for so long and honestly she just wanted a few minutes where everything was _simple._

 _He'd be about fifteen now,_ she thought to herself, before pushing away the emotional musings. Sex was simple. She was focused on that.

Eret was already getting comfortable, top half of his body stripped off and his boots kicked off. Valka suppressed a thought of how he'd gotten more clothes off than his father did. He smiled when she walked in, waiting for Valka to shut the door behind her and shuffle off her boots. They weren't her normal boots for taverns, but she doubted Eret was going to recognise the vigilante based on boots he'd probably only ever have caught glimpses of in mid-air, if at all.

"How old are you?"

"Now now, you never ask a lady her age. I am... older than you."

Eret raked his eyes over her form, shaking his head.

"Well, you look damn good for it."

Valka saved herself the trouble of answering and kissed him, if only to _shut him up._ It worked, Eret's hands wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer as he kissed her back. Valka rested her hands on his chest, felt that same blistering heat coming off of his skin. It reminded her of standing near a dragons flame. He had the eagerness of a young man, mouth hot and hungry against her own as he undressed her. If he changed his mind about believing she was older when her body was bared to him, Eret didn't say. Valka tipped her head back when his teeth dragged over her throat, the thrill of the mild threat of pain turning her on more than it had any right to.

His britches fell from his hips soon after her hands reached his waist, and Valka mentally thanked the gods that there was no hunters brand on his skin, allowing her to _almost_ forget what he was for a minute. Eret groaned, hips bucking when Valka's hand circled his shaft, pleasantly surprised by the size of him as his cock pulsed in her grip. He fumbled to remove her bottoms without dislodging her hand, eventually giving up and gripping her by the hips to boost her up on to the bed. He grunted as her hand tightened before he pried her fingers away, tugging her bottoms off and discarding them along with her underlayers.

Valka had been naked in front of countless men by then, but even with all the trysts with strangers in taverns under her belt, she wasn't quite used to being looked at the way Eret looked at her. She'd seen men look at her like they wanted to devour her, but it often came across far more _predatory_ than Eret was. Warm, rough hands spread her legs so he could lean between them, _winking_ up at Valka before she felt the heat of his tongue, clumsy but keen and his enthusiasm more than made up for lack of practice. Was she always _so_ sensitive? Her thigh muscles twitched under the grip of his fingers, hands wrapped around her legs to hold them open as she bit her lip, trying not to be too loud too fast.

Watching him quickly became too much, shoving at his head until Eret got the message and came up for air, wiping lazily at his wet face.

"You alright?"

Valka kissed him, ignoring that his mouth was still damp and just hoping he'd _stop talking._ It worked very well, Eret stopping only to kick his bottoms off the rest of the way before he climbed up on the bed with her. She so rarely dared turn her back, but Valka found she couldn't deal with _looking_ at him when he was so very cheery, feeling something that was _almost_ like guilt, because she should have known she was too raw and open for this before, but instead she'd gone out and faced another boy who lost a parent, just like her son.

Eret didn't seem to mind, burning skin of his chest against her back as his weight pressed her down. Valka wondered if she should have felt unsafe like that, but instead she tingled at the feel of his breath, hot and damp against her neck as he panted, nudging her legs far apart to fit him.

"This ok?"

His words made tears she didn't understand sting the corner of her eyes, and Valka didn't trust her voice enough so she just pushed back against him with a needy whine. Eret took that as her consent, cock pressing in to her inch by painstaking inch. He was thick, filled her to the point Valka felt breathless as he bottomed out. His mouth had left her more than wet enough to take him, the slick slide of his cock as he flexed his hips _finally_ quieting her mind at last to let her focus on nothing but the pleasure building low in her belly.

She felt his hand move to trace her back, no doubt noticing she was covered in scars, caused by playful dragon claws and accidental fires and fighting against humans to protect the dragons. Some might have even been caused by his own crew, though Eret wasn't to know that. He kept moving, big hands closing over hers on the bed, hers digging into the linen under both their fingers when harder thrusts made her body seize.

Valka bit down on the sheet to try and quiet herself, unsure what it was about _him_ that was making her react stronger than she was used to and not content to fuel his ego with her responsive moans and cries. She'd grown used to most of the trappers and hunters she encountered being sadistic, rough enough to leave bruises. Valka _liked_ that, thrilled in the pain and lingering aches, but Eret wasn't like that and yet the lack of pain hadn't lessened her arousal any.

Eret moved one hand, managing to wriggle it underneath her and curl his fingers up against her in a way that had Valka seeing stars, Eret's weight on her back stopping her from arching up or curling into herself against the surprisingly powerful sensations. His hips didn't slow, every stroke urging her on.

The climax hit her out of nowhere, leaving Valka gasping and shaking under Eret, barely aware of him pulling out to finish himself on her back other than the damp warmth she felt splash across her skin.

When Eret rolled over on to his back, Valka missed his warmth, a fresh wave of loneliness surging. It was dulled by the afterglow still warming her, but it was definitely still there. Eret grinned over at her, expression hazy with his own post-coital glow before he sat up.

"Hang on, I'll uh, get something to wipe you off so you can move."

That was unusual in itself, a rather strange sensation as Eret scraped his own mess off her back with some fabric. Valka wasn't sure she could think of another time someone else had done that for her.

 _Why_ was he so... different? It was frustrating. Was it just because of the mood she'd been in before? Or something else?

Valka mumbled a thanks as she sat up, looking for her clothes. She'd just piled them up to start redressing when an urge that was clearly borne of a momentary madness made itself known.

"Can I show you something?"

"Uh, sure?"

Eret looked confused, but after wiping himself down he pulled on the britches Valka handed to him.

"Come with me."

He reached for his things, but Valka shook her head. She didn't want him armed.

"Leave it, you'll be coming back soon."

"Where are we going?"

"Just... come."

Obviously bemused and more than a little wary, Eret followed Valka down the back staircase, passing a couple of outhouses that were used for the taverns patrons that didn't spend the money for rooms. Though there wasn't much difference, she supposed, in the functionality of the indoor or outdoor.

"Rona, where are we going? I should get back."

Valka faltered, turning to face him. He'd slowed down a little.

"It's not far. And my name isn't Rona."

That seemed to be enough to pique his curiousity, and to get him to keep following her. Cloudjumper was not going to be happy with her insane little flight of fancy, Valka was certain. And maybe she was just going mad from years alone. But there was _something_ about Eret that made her decide to _try again._ After all, if she could convert the trapper, maybe there _was_ hope?

Something about him had gotten through to her, made Valka feel actual human emotions, even if they weren't tied directly to feelings about _him._ If he got through to her... maybe she could get through to him?

-HTTYD-

**Do we think this will end well?**


	6. Chapter 6

**I loved the response to last chapter so much! Hugely appreciate y'all.**

**Warning for very brief mention of choking.**

-HTTYD-

"Where are we going Rona... or whatever your name is? We're getting pretty far out here."

He wasn't wrong.

"Just... here."

Cloudjumper wasn't there, but Valka recognised his tracks and assumed he'd gone to find some dinner or something - she'd probably been gone longer than he expected. She'd lost track of time a little with Eret.

"You wanted to show me trees?"

"No, not trees. This."

Valka whistled, on the off chance her dragon was close by, before she knelt down and moved some dirt and leaves to reveal her hidden armour. She stood with her helmet in her hands, and turned to face Eret. He paled quite rapidly, emotions flitting across his face at speed before settling on a mix of shock and horror.

" _You're_ the vigilante?"

"Well, _I_ don't call myself that."

It was a rather minor point, really. And Eret didn't seem to appreciate her pointing it out all that much. He looked to be considering either attacking her or running back to his crew, but didn't get far in either decision before several tonnes of Stormcutter landed heavily next to them.

Whether he recognised Eret or read the situation, Cloudjumper quickly grabbed a hold of Eret and rumbled at Valka. She scrambled into her armour and leapt up on his back, Eret still in his claws as they took off. He cursed quite colourfully in several languages as they went, though Valka expected the altitude would knock him out before long as they flew through the air, since he wasn't used to the thin air. He was probably usually fine with the cold, but he was underdressed for it after Valka dragged him along so quickly.

It was lunacy, she knew, but when the swearing and shouting died down she was quite sure he'd passed out. Sure enough, he was out cold when they landed at the nest, and the dragons there were all very confused about the newcomer. Valka took off her armour and made sure there weren't any sharp objects Eret could easily grab a hold of, leaving Cloudjumper to watch him and no doubt judge Valka for what he felt was a bad decision. She checked on their sick and injured and newly arrived, satisfied everything was in order enough for her to go back to Eret.

She felt very aware of how young he was when she looked over his unconscious form - he was only a few years older than her son. And not _that_ much younger than his father had been when she took his life. Valka _hoped_ he was young enough to listen. Although any future with Eret involved seemed rather improbable; he wasn't likely to forgive her for killing his father, whether he came around to dragons or not. She really hadn't thought it through at all, driven by her jumbled emotions and a fit of desperation because he was the first human to make her _feel_ something that wasn't pain and anger in so long.

And now he was in the nest, and Valka wasn't really sure what to do other than wait for him to wake up, and hope she figured something else out then. Cloudjumper was still looking at her like she was quite mad. He probably wasn't wrong.

Eret jerked awake quite suddenly, looking around with wide eyes, chest heaving with his ragged breaths.

"Where am I?"

"Safe."

His brow creased, and then Eret seemed to feel the warm breath of a dragon behind him and let out a quite high-pitched yelp, scuttling away as best he could on the ground.

"Dragon!"

"His name is Cloudjumper, and he won't hurt you. Well, he won't hurt you _first."_

Valka couldn't claim Cloudjumper wouldn't defend himself, but she was certain he'd never attack _first._

"That's not very reassuring. How are you... why did you... we..."

Eret seemed to struggle to string a coherent thought together, obviously still stunned that his random bedmate of the evening had been the vigilante he'd gone up against in battle before.

"Actually, I'd blown up your crews fort on the next island over just before I came to the tavern. Going to bed with you was not part of my original plan, I do admit."

"You blew up... why the _Hel_ have you brought me back here? What am I? A dragon snack?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Dragons very rarely eat humans. Most of them wouldn't even be able to swallow you."

"Oh, I am _totally_ reassured now."

His heavily sarcastic tone was combined with an exaggerated eye roll, which surprised Valka slightly since he was clearly still quite concerned about being eaten. He was physically unarmed, and mentally appeared quite disarmed by the shift in situation and location, leaving her debating whether to leave him to wander about the nest alone - the dragons could defend themselves - or toss him off a high point and be done with it.

After going to the effort of getting him there, Valka opted to give him a _little_ time before she tossed him off a cliff. Cloudjumper looked like he'd happily have done it for her.

A few more minutes of tense silence as Eret looked around them in his hyper-aware state passed, before he seemed to catch his breath as he hadn't been attacked. He turned to Valka, eyes still darting back to the dragons every few seconds.

"Why did you bring me here?"

He got to his feet and immediately backed up to a rocky wall, so he didn't have to look behind himself so much while Valka tried to formulate an answer. In the end, she went with honesty.

"I don't know. It was a spur of the moment decision, and now I can't take you back."

"You had _better_ take me back!"

Valka shook her head.

"No. You know too much now. I can't have you telling Drago Bludvist what I look like."

Eret flinched briefly at the name, but otherwise showed little response beyond anger.

"Because you kidnapped me with that big dumb beast!"

Cloudjumper growled, but Valka held out a hand. Angry dragons weren't exactly going to help the situation.

"His name is Cloudjumper, and he's actually very intelligent. And very gentle."

"Oh yeah, he seems _so_ gentle when he's setting fire to our ships and forts."

"You put his kin in cages. What would you do to free _your_ family?"

Eret scowled and looked away, saying nothing. Valka knew it was because he had little to refute her with, which she found rather satisfying. Patting Cloudjumper to soothe him, she waited for Eret to finish his sulking. After a minute of silence broken only by the usual sounds of dragons walking and grumbling nearby, he looked back.

"Is there a bathroom around here?"

"Oh, yes. This way."

Cloudjumper stuck to her side as they headed through to her room, where she pointed him to the spot she relieved herself in. He went in silence, peering over his shoulder as though checking he wasn't going to be ambushed on his way to answer nature's call.

He was gone for quite a few minutes, though Valka supposed he was probably trying to get his head straight more than anything. It was the only spot he was guaranteed any sort of privacy. She turned back to Cloudjumper, who was still not happy with her, making low grumbling sounds until she scratched under his chin.

"Relax. He has no advantage here."

Her dragon companion huffed, but didn't pull away from where she was scratching his scales. He really was a gentle giant, all soft and sweet and loving when he wanted to be. She smiled as he finally relaxed a little, not liking when her dearest friend was so tense - especially due to something Valka had done.

When he finally came back, he was looking at Valka oddly.

"What?"

"Out of interest, do you make a _habit_ out of spending nights in tavern rooms with dragon hunters? Or was I something special?"

Valka chewed her lip; she wasn't about to admit to the multiple murders she had under her belt. Although she felt guilt for none of them, she didn't think Eret needed to know. On the other hand, she didn't want to say he was _special,_ because he seemed the sort that it was going to go to his head.

"Neither. I don't make a habit, but you were convenient, not special."

"So you didn't kidnap me to keep me here as some kind of sex slave?"

She recoiled slightly; that was an _awful_ thing to suspect her of!

"What? No! That's abhorrent!"

Weirdly, Eret didn't look like he agreed. He gave her a sort of interested up-and-down look, then tipped her the same sort of smirk she'd seen back in the tavern when he thought they were merely strangers spending the night together.

"Shame. That might have at least been fun."

His attitude shift had Valka a little on edge - he'd been angry and combative only moments ago. Unless he'd taken a dose of something in the bathroom, she wasn't sure what had caused the change.

"Funny, I would have thought finding out who I _really_ am would put you off."

Eret shrugged.

"Hey, it looks like this is where I'm gonna die, so why not see if I could have a good time first? Besides, a good lay is a good lay. Don't tell me _you_ didn't have fun. I know how to show a woman a good time."

His cockiness was awfully familiar, the same old swagger he'd shown her earlier that evening. Before the impromptu kidnap. And he was sort of right... Valka wasn't going to be letting him _go._ So either he came around on dragons, or he spent time in the nest until the inevitable happened.

It didn't help that he still had that same disarming effect on her, the response of her body completely separate from rational thought at the look he gave her.

 _Well_ , she reasoned to herself, _sex might mellow him out and make him more inclined to listen._

It was thin, somewhat desperate logic, and Valka was quite sure she was only trying to justify to herself those stolen moments of pleasure and the brief time where she'd _felt_ something earlier, and to excuse her desire to repeat them now it seemed Eret was offering.

The raw ache of emotions she'd felt earlier was somewhat faded, or at least pushed aside by the madness of her decisions and then dealing with the bewilderment of Eret's presence. She did her best to keep them at bay, taking Eret in and debating whether or not to trust his words. There was a rather _obvious_ sign he at least wasn't lying about a physical interest, his britches tenting over the growing swell between his thighs.

"You're serious?"

Eret nodded, though he gestured to Cloudjumper.

"I'm not always against an audience, but _he's_ not watching."

Sensing that he was being dismissed, Cloudjumper growled. Valka deliberated, before turning to her dragon.

"Give us a little privacy Cloudjumper?"

If there was _any_ chance she could get through to Eret, Valka was going to try. And it wasn't as though she hadn't used her body against men before... even if part of her wasn't almost shamefully keen to experience the intensity with Eret again. Cloudjumper gave her the most incredulous look, throwing growls and grumbles of warning in Eret's direction before he turned and stalked off, tail flicking up to let her know _just_ how annoyed he was about it. She'd have to give him extra salmon later to make it up to him.

They couldn't escape dragons entirely, as one of the 'walls' of Valka's rooms was missing, giving view to a high point in the heart of the nest, and dragons flitted past it quite frequently. Still, that didn't seem to bother Eret all that much, eyes flicking toward her bed before he approached her. He seemed much more confident when they were on his terms; perhaps the simplicity of sex amongst all the madness around him appealed.

His kisses were a little more hesitant, which Valka put down to the environment rather than her - she could still feel him hard against her hip, knew he was still _interested._ He backed her slowly toward her bed, following her all the way with his hands at her waist and his mouth against hers. They parted so she could climb up on it, Eret following her. He placed his knees between her spread legs, braced a hand on the bed near her head while the other cupped her jaw, surprisingly tender as he rubbed a thumb along her cheek.

"Do you remember what you asked me earlier?"

Head a little hazy - she hadn't really expected _conversation_ \- Valka frowned.

"I'm sure I asked you a few things."

"True" Eret conceded, voice calm and even "I'll jog your memory then. You asked what I would do to protect my family."

"Oh?"

Valka wasn't sure why he was bringing it up at that moment.

Not until his hand moved, closing around her throat in an instant and _squeezing._ His face darkened, weight bearing down to try and stop her instinctive attempts to throw him off. His hand was big and her neck was small, his fingers almost meeting all the way around as his palm pressed down hard enough to stop her drawing breath.

"Maybe I die here, but I can stop _you_ first."

Oh, that _bastard!_ Valka thrashed ineffectively, no air meaning she couldn't cry out for the attention of dragons. His grip was tight, and she knew she'd pass out before long if she couldn't get his hand off her. The last flickers of coherent thought reminded her of what she was still wearing, and Valka's shaking hands scrabbled at her belt. The way Eret was leaning over her to choke her meant he didn't have a hand free to stop her, not until he recoiled in pained shock as Valka jammed her blade up into his stomach.

"Ah!"

He yelped, grip finally gone from her throat. Valka sucked in great gasps of air, vision dancing with spots as she fought to catch her breath. Eret was clutching his bleeding stomach, but it was no debilitating injury, and with her head still spinning Valka was at something of a disadvantage.

Still, she had plenty of practice against long odds, and just as much experience in fighting men twice her size with bigger weapons. Eret was unarmed, and it wouldn't take much for her to call any number of dragons who would have happily finished the job for her.

She didn't want that though; Valka wanted to finish him herself. He'd dared to wriggle under her skin and make her _feel,_ and then he'd used that as a wedge to drive in under her defences just long enough to try and kill her. And to think, she'd felt guilty for taking his father away. She surged forward, her weight and the surprise of her movement as she jammed her shoulder into Eret's chest combining to knock him to the ground. She pinned him with her knees on his ribs, stopping _him_ from breathing as she pressed the bloodied blade to his throat.

"Tell me something. Do you know _how_ your father died, Eret?"

Obviously debating whether or not trying to throw her off would get his throat cut, he coughed as he tried to draw in breath with her weight in the way.

"He..." Eret trailed off, thinking, mind obviously making the connection "y-you!"

She smirked, nodding.

"I recognised you right away, you look just like him. Just as I recognised the mark on your father's hip. It was self defence, he attacked me first. How fitting of you to follow in his footsteps, all the way to your death."

Valka moved just enough to kill him as she had done his father, driving her blade into his chest. She'd had a lot of practice by then, knew the best spot to avoid hitting bone instead of the soft, breakable inside parts his ribs protected. His body spasmed, his next cough bloody. She didn't move, not until she saw that final slump and stillness she'd seen dozens of times before.

When she looked up, she saw she had a few dragons as audience, Cloudjumper at the forefront looking outraged. She stood, hands bloody as she yanked her blade out, sighing as she realised what a mess she'd have to clean up. There were a few brief, tiny flickers of sadness that things couldn't have gone better, but they vanished when Valka regained enough sense to feel the throbbing pain around her neck.

She'd been right from the start; humans were not capable of change.

-HTTYD-

**#Valkaneedsacuddle. Maybe after she's washed her hands though.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yes, I know, I've fallen behind on everything else too! But I never forgot Villain!Valka.**

**Chapter contains character death.**

-HTTYD-

Valka kicked a stray bit of... actually, she wasn't sure what it was, aside, and crouched down to survey the scene below her, squinting through the haze of smoke. There was little left but ash and smoke, though there were glittering spots of light where flames reflected off of the great shards of ice.

Cloudjumper settled at her side, letting out a low coo of concern. Valka glanced down at her armour, saw the sooty residue mixed with fresh red splatters. Her staff looked much the same - a well designed implement, gentle for dragons and painful for humans.

"None of it is mine, I'm alright."

It was hard to even see where the blood had come from by then - once all the dragons were freed, they'd burned and slashed and battered every human there. The Bewilderbeast had helped them, following Valka's lead as they fought to keep Drago Bludvist's army from growing. If she had to guess? Valka had more dragons, but Bludvist had an army of manpower too. But Valka didn't want to lose any of the dragons, and so she didn't go toe to toe with him, just chipped away around him, freeing his captured dragons and killing his trappers.

Cloudjumper still looked worried, but Valka ignored it. She knew what he was getting at, and she wasn't interested in listening.

He thought she was spending too much time fighting, and that she killed too quickly now. Though Valka had been willing to let them die for years, it was only since... _Eret_ that she'd truly dedicated time to ensuring _none_ survived their raids. If humans weren't going to change, she wasn't going to leave them alive to go back to their bad ways. Choking out a few breaths, Valka stood and went in search of cleaner air to breathe. They found what was left of the trappers campsite, and Valka stole some of their wine to chase away the bitter taste of death and smoke in the back of her throat.

It was tempting to let alcohol burn away all her bad thoughts, to let it blur the edges of a world she felt increasingly out of place in, but Valka made herself stop, tossing most of it over the nearest drop and hearing the sounds of canteens breaking against the ground. She took a couple - sometimes it helped her sleep, but Valka knew she was no good to the dragons when absolutely wasted on the stuff and that was enough to keep her from turning to the bottle too often.

Done with the raiding business, Valka clambered down to the sea level, and bowed to the great Bewilderbeast. He returned her gesture, inclining his huge head and dusting her with a gentle whisper of ice. She lifted her helmet to smile up at him, and gave her staff a rattle to signal _let's go home._ With a great grumble, the Bewilderbeast flared his head-spines and then sank into the ocean. The flaring was obviously a signal, as all the newly rescued dragons turned and followed the line of bubbles rising from below the water. Valka climbed up on Cloudjumper's back and they took off back toward their sanctuary, a safe haven for dragons far away from man.

She dumped her armour once they got back, leaving it aside to be cleaned once she'd ensured the dragons were alright. The newest rescues were distributed as necessary between the healing bay and the rest areas, Valka introducing herself to each one and explaining that they were safe there with the Alpha. Not all understood her words, but the atmosphere created by the Alpha's presence and the other dragons that were already there and trusting of her helped relax the rescues.

There was little to be done for a couple of days - yes, she could go and interrupt the ships out capturing dragons, but it was a much more efficient task to wait for them to fill up their island camp and rescue three or four boat-loads all at once. And it made destroying both the ships and the people crewing them all at once much easier too. It had been a while since Valka had bothered heading to a tavern to take them out one-on-one. She still went on occasion, both to track down particularly difficult trappers who stayed out of much of the smoke and mess of it all and to assuage her own loneliness, but even those were far less frequent since Eret. She'd lost _any_ faith in humans, and part of Valka suspected her lifestyle would lead to a premature death some time, so she had simply resolved to do the best she could with the time she had for dragons, since nobody _else_ was going to help them.

With her armour cleaned up, dragons fed and tended to and the Alpha back in his pool, resting, Valka took herself off for a bath and then went to bed herself. She didn't sleep a great deal that evening, but she was used to that sort of thing and deliberated before deciding against drinking herself to sleep again. There were better uses of her time.

Cloudjumper shuffled about after her, occasionally making that concerned noise of his a few times before growing frustrated that Valka was ignoring him. Though he was a gentle giant, he was still _big_ and so once he decided to flop down and rest his huge head on Valka's chest, she could go nowhere until he deigned to let her. She rolled her eyes and stroked him indulgently, thankfully used to his _abominable_ dragon breath after all their years together.

"I am _fine_ Cloudjumper, I don't know why you fret."

He huffed, rolling his big yellow eyes at her before they slid closed as she gave him a few little scratches behind his horn. It was a tough spot for him to reach, and basically turned him into a giant puddle of scales. Once he relaxed, Valka managed to wriggle free. He grumbled in complaint, and resumed following her around as Valka scuttled around her nest, eventually ending up on one of the ledges higher up. There weren't many, as keeping all the heat in kept the dragons happy, and icy wind slipped in through almost every crack. But there were a few small gaps (well, small for dragons to get in and out of) and stone ledges on the outside of the mountain, big enough for her and Cloudjumper to sit and stare out at the ocean.

It was still dark out, and though Valka was a little chilly they stayed until the sun began to rise. She liked the sunrise, liked knowing she and the dragons had made it another day. Leaning back against Cloudjumper's belly for warmth, Valka sighed and wondered about her son again, wondered if he was still sleeping or awake, watching the same sunrise she was.

It had to have been twenty years by then, she guessed. Maybe more... she'd lost track really, but she was pretty sure she'd seen twenty dragon mating and hatching cycles out by then. Assuming he was out there (Valka had feared a few times that he'd not survived, small and frail as he was when he arrived too early), he was a man now. Perhaps even Chief of Berk, the perfect heir Stoick wanted. She shut those thoughts off, because it always hurt to picture her sweet baby boy growing up to be a dragon killer.

She caught a couple more hours sleep that morning after doing dragon breakfast time, then spent her day in the nursery playing with the juvenile Scuttleclaws. They were particularly cheeky things, and could often be seen tormenting the poor Bewilderbeast when he tried to sleep - baby dragons did not fall under the Alpha's control, because babies listened to no-one.

Valka had almost dared to relax into her afternoon when the scouts returned, flapping and squawking and whatever they'd seen had them truly out of sorts - she could barely understand them, but the _follow us!_ message was absolutely clear. Hastening to fetch her armour and staff, Valka debated briefly before going to the Alpha. Whatever had her scout dragons so animated could be dangerous; it was best to be prepared. He agreed, and ducked down beneath the water to find his way out from their nest. Valka hopped up on Cloudjumper's back, and off they went.

The scouts - mostly Deadly Nadders, who were speedy, nimble, intelligent and excellent trackers - led them, the better part of an hour in the sky with the Bewilderbeast below, surfacing only once to draw air into his massive lungs before diving down to leave only a trail of bubbles along the water to find him by.

Valka realised what the concern was as soon as she saw the ships - there were at least four, and three had dragons caged on deck. It was a decent haul, rescue-wise, but that alone wouldn't have explained the state her scouts had gotten themselves in to over it. But then Valka saw on the fourth ship, and she saw something that made her blood run cold.

 _Saddles._ There were hunters _riding_ dragons now? Had she given them the idea, and they'd chained some poor dragons in to being used as transport or perhaps even a permanent weapon of sorts? Anger rising in her chest, Valka dropped her signal down in to the ocean, and the Bewilderbeast reared up with a great splash. He saw too, and roared in fury at the sight of his kin in cages. He looked to Valka, who shook her staff in agreement. Drawing in a great breath, he breathed a great wave of ice at the ships, and while a couple of hunters managed to dive off the deck with shouts of fear, the ships cracked and shattered around the shards of ice. They had Seashockers and Scauldrons under the water with the Bewilderbeast, for catching any dragons who were chained or simply couldn't swim.

A wave of reassurance from the Alpha soothed the distressed dragons as Valka had Cloudjumper drop her down on to the back of a Scauldron, who carried her to where bits of ship still floated to unlock the cages. Once those were free, she tossed her helmet up to Cloudjumper, and dove down to make sure none of the others were still locked up. Freeing several while she dodged the bodies of dead hunters, Valka rose up for a few gulps of air before she went back down. She was a very strong swimmer (one of those times Valka was quite grateful for her long limbs) and surrounded by those who would protect her, and so Valka paid little mind at first to anyone else still moving in the water as she mentally counted cages in her head, including a half dozen for each ship below deck.

The underwater dragons had moved to hold any other cages above water, or pull apart the remnants of wooden decks to free those who were only caged by one side of metal and lock. She rose up once more for air, and then hopped from dragon to dragon to free those still caged. Her eyes stung from the sea-water, but that was little concern. Her clothes were weighed down with water below her armour, so she'd be pretty chilly on the flight home but Cloudjumper knew that if he felt her stumble or fall after diving, to catch her and take Valka somewhere to be warmed up by dragon fire and pack-cuddles. She'd only come close to freezing to death _once,_ and learned from mistakes, taught her dragon what to do.

She retrieved her helmet after rubbing her hands against the top of her head to try and wring out a little of the water running down her face, and turned to check they'd definitely gotten all the dragons. Bodies of hunters littered the water, some gored on ice and others shocked or burned by dragons in self-defence (she could see their weapons drawn, floating at their sides as the water rippled around the breaths of the Bewilderbeast).

One caught her eye, not dressed in the usual pale furs with bright colours. Rubbing water from her eyes, Valka approached on Cloudjumper hesitantly, and had her dragon roll the face-down man over in the water. He gasped, and so did Valka; his for air, hers for shock.

Though Berk did not dwell on her mind very often (save for thoughts of her son), she'd lived there for twenty years and not all of her memories had faded. His eyes seemed to take time to focus, and they widened very quickly as his vision cleared.

 _Gobber?_ What was _he_ doing there? He splashed and spluttered, and Valka gestured for a Scauldron to float nearby, using her large tail to hold Gobber up so he could catch his breath. She made to put her helmet back on, but it seemed pointless when he'd clearly seen and recognised her.

"Y... you? How can you... Stoick! Where are ye?"

Valka's heart turned over in her chest. How could _he_ be there too? She looked around - Stoick was hard to miss - but saw nothing familiar other than one of the dragons wearing a riding saddle, a Rumblehorn, circling the water and roaring out in what she could only call distress. Another wearing a saddle hovered nearby, a Hotburple (closely related to Gronckles, but with additional dragon-powers at a cost of small shot limit and frequent naps) and seemed very happy to see Gobber alive.

"Skullcrusher! Where is he?"

The Rumblehorn responded to Gobber's croaky cry with one of his own, and while Rumblehorns were excellent trackers, there was the smell of fire and many hunters and dragons and ocean to mix with his sense of scent. But after a minute, he dove down under the water. Valka fretted; their heavily armoured bodies weren't _great_ for swimming, but the Rumblehorn resurfaced after a minute, a large, limp mess of leather, fur cloak and distinctively large, orange beard clutched under his belly.

"Stoick! Bring 'im here Skullcrusher!"

Valka watched, a myriad of emotions rolling through her as Gobber seemed _totally_ at ease with the dragon beneath him, the dragons around him. If anything, he seemed more unsettled by her presence and Stoick's limp form. Once he got closer, Valka could see a dark stain across the front of his torn vest, and after fussing with the body for a minute, he gave a great roar of pain that made her wince.

"Valka! How could you?"

Gobber whipped around, and his anger was enough to wrong-foot her for a moment. The wound didn't look like one of ice, but she wasn't close enough to be certain. Cloudjumper _and_ the Alpha both seemed geared up to defend her, but Valka whistled to get their attention, giving her staff a small shake to say _wait._

"How was I to know? Hesitating with hunters gets dragons killed."

"Dragons..." Gobber seemed to see her and Cloudjumper properly for the first time "that's the dragon that took you!"

"Yes. He never meant me harm, just as I always said about dragons."

Something very peculiar seemed to be going on - while Gobber hadn't been _as_ reticent to hear a single damn word she said as her husband, he didn't look at all resistant to her words. The saddles and the response of the dragons wearing them, Gobber's lack of fear toward them...

"Yeah. You were right. And your son showed us that."

Her son?

 _"Hiccup?_ What did Hiccup do?"

His anger hadn't abated, and 'Skullcrusher' was still eyeing her in a way Valka rarely saw on a dragons face, but with the Alpha at her side and Cloudjumper beneath her, she wasn't worried. She hoped it wouldn't come down to a fight.

"Oh, he turned out just like you! Well. You before. Insisted dragons were our friends, befriended a _Night Fury_ and ended the dragon raids."

"What... when was this?"

Had Valka been missing days of knowing her son was a friend to dragons, just like her? Months? _Years?_

"About five years back now. Even Stoick came around... oh, Stoick!" Gobber turned back to the body of his friend "how am I meant to tell Hiccup his _mother_ killed his father!?"

Valka felt sick. After all this time... _that_ was the first thing her son, her boy who inherited her trust in dragons, would know.

"You don't know that I did. It could have been a hunter."

She was starting to shake, and Valka wasn't entirely sure it was from the cold.

"I'll be sure to tell Hiccup that it _might_ not have been you."

Gobber turned away, and Valka hesitated briefly before deciding; she knew. She knew Hiccup wasn't a dragon _killer._ She'd been gone all his life and it seemed he'd grown up into a better man that she could have hoped for... but she couldn't face him when she had so much blood on her own hands. Especially when some of it could have been his fathers. She signalled to the dragon still carrying the two men, and got a nod of acceptance.

"The Scauldron will help you back to Berk."

And with that, she signalled to the Bewilderbeast, and they turned away. She wasn't going to be any help there, and if she didn't turn back there and then, she'd have gone with them, just for a glimpse of the son who may well hate her on sight now. Gone for twenty years, never knowing... gods, what if she'd gone home after all? Been there to raise her son with her dragon-loving heart?

But then what would have happened to all the dragons she'd saved? Who would have seduced all those dragon killers to their deaths?

That brief, accidental encounter with Gobber had Valka _feeling_ more than she could remember feeling in the last fifteen years... Valka shivered, and _that_ one was at least partly due to the cold. She gave a _quicker_ signal to Cloudjumper, clothes ice-cold and sapping the heat from her skin as her heart ached in her chest. Her fingertips were turning blue, her breath coming harsh in her chest when she saw the nest again, all but falling from Cloudjumper's back with stiff, inflexible joints to find the nearest firepit. Cloudjumper took the dragons to the injured bay for her first, while Valka had the nearest Nadder light her fire. She peeled off her sodden clothes with numb fingers, grabbing a couple of heavy furs and shivering at the fire-side until she began to thaw.

Tears she didn't know she'd shed dripped on to her shaking hands, and as the ice in her system slowly faded, it left room for great, heaving sobs of a loss Valka thought she'd already processed long ago.

"Oh, Hiccup..."

Cloudjumper found her there, gathering her up against his belly with his wings to help warm and comfort her. He let out little coos of sadness, and stayed at her side until Valka finally managed to reign herself in a little. She pulled herself out of Cloudjumper's hold long enough to put tea on now her hands were working more, then went in search of dry clothes. Cloudjumper shuffled after her, and insistently cuddled her close again when she was re-dressed. She leant up against his warm belly as she drank her tea, cleaned her face up and kept her hands by the fire until they stopped feeling so stiff.

Still feeling quite fragile, Valka focused on something she could do in her sleep and went to tend to their newest intake. The Alpha waited patiently for her to check in with him, aware the only human in their nest was vulnerable in ways that the dragons weren't.

"I don't blame you" she reassured him as she explained the events more clearly "you were doing what you were supposed to."

Valka crawled into bed, drained and feeling oddly empty. Cloudjumper fussed, but eventually twisted around to hang from the ceiling to rest himself - it had been an exhausting day for all involved. She'd only just began to drift off, thoughts full of the terrible knowledge she'd caused her son pain from so far away when she'd already been absent _so_ long, when the dragons around her all seemed to perk up, several shuffling off and Valka heard the sound of scouts relaying information.

Groaning as she hauled her tired body from her bed, Valka reached for her armour. It was still damp, so she added a second layer of clothing for protection before she pulled it on. Cloudjumper followed, just lowering his head to let her up on his back when three dragons appeared. One was leading the other two, one who held a rather damp-looking black dragon in their claws and another clutching a slender, leather-clad but very much _human_ shaped thing.

Valka's heart picked up speed as she recognised the species quickly. It had been a long time since she'd seen one, but there was no mistaking one once she saw.

_Night Fury._

The human ran to the dragon, calling out what sounded like _"Toothless!"_ as he knelt at the Night Fury's side. The Night Fury roused and _licked_ the human, and Valka's stomach was in knots as the two spotted her. She had her helmet on, so likely looked quite peculiar as the human slipped off their own mask. If she'd not been thinking of him, it might not have registered right away, but Valka saw a passing resemblance to her ex-husband who'd just been fished out of the ocean a few hours ago. And when she crouched and scuttled closer, unable to help herself, shaking her staff to ask the dragons for light, Valka saw what she'd been looking for.

That scar on his chin. Only a small cut, but he'd only been a small babe when he got it. Scratched by Cloudjumper's claw, by mistake when the crib rocked unexpectedly. She remembered _every_ detail of the last time she'd seen her son.

He was speaking, trying to work out who she was. Valka's chest tightened with a mix of emotions as it occurred to her _he might not know yet,_ and there was a flicker of warmth when she saw how the Night Fury wrapped his tail around the human, ready to protect him.

"Do you even understand what I'm saying?"

Valka had faced down killers and dragons driven mad with fear. She'd faced up against Drago Bludvist and armies of men that outnumbered her twenty to one.

She'd _never_ been as afraid as she was in that moment, lifting her helmet and tossing it aside. There was no recognition in his face, so it seemed even more likely he'd found her by mistake.

"Hiccup?"

-HTTYD-

**Ooooooooooooooooooh.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter eight! This was meant to be the finale, but it started to get pretty big so it was agreed to split it in two. So here's part one of the finale!**

-HTTYD-

He looked confused.

"How do you know my name? Who are you?"

Valka swallowed heavily, a mix of joy and horror swirling in her chest as she looked at him. It was her _son,_ and she was going to have to tell him who she was. And then she was going to have to tell him about his father.

"I... I suppose you wouldn't remember me. You were just a babe. But a mother never forgets her child."

He gasped, staring at her in a new light.

"You... _what?_ "

Valka took a step forward; Hiccup recoiled. Only slightly, but he did. It _stung,_ but Valka supposed he was entitled. She was nothing but a faceless memory he probably only knew from his father. The father who was _dead._

Knowing he'd only hate her more for it, Valka decided to at least give him a reason for why she'd been gone. If he loved dragons as much as he seemed to, given how quickly he'd gone to Toothless' side and how his Night Fury was prepared to protect him...

"Come with me."

She gave a signal to his dragon too, and Valka knew dragons much better than she knew people. Hel, even though it had been years since she saw one, Valka was sure she knew more about Night Furies than Hiccup. Sure enough, the dragon started following her, which ensured Hiccup followed her too.

She couldn't help but look back at him a couple of times, greedily absorbing his features with every glimpse. He was beautiful, and she could see herself in his wiry build and gangly limbs - Hiccup certainly wasn't built like Stoick.

"You can't just say something like that and run off! You're my _mother?_ "

Oh, she wanted to stop and answer all his questions, but Valka was sure if she did she'd lose her nerve. Already, she knew she was making a selfish choice. Delaying the inevitable so she could spend a little time knowing him before she lost him all over again. And he'd only hate her more for _knowing,_ for _lying,_ just for her own selfish reasons. But Valka had sacrificed decency and goodness long ago.

At least her son would know why she'd never come home.

"Everyone said you were dead! They said you'd been eaten by dragons!"

Oh, Cloudjumper was going to laugh at _that._ Climbing up the last incline before they reached the heart of her nest, Valka turned to beckon him along.

"Come, quickly!"

"I have questions!"

Valka hoped to answer as many as she could in the few stolen moments she was giving herself with her son. He scrambled along behind her, his Night Fury following them along. Climbing up the last few bumps and rocks between them and the heart of the mountain, Valka turned and urged Hiccup to keep on following.

"This way!"

She and Cloudjumper hopped up out of the way, so she could see Hiccup's unfiltered reaction to the nest. Her dragon cradled her close, and they watched as Hiccup and Toothless came through the gap.

"Where have you... oh."

He stood, looking around in open shock at all the dragons. They swarmed and circled and some flew in packs, many winding their way around columns of rocks to stretch their wings before returning to mates, children or naps. Hiccup jumped as one flew past him, but he was _smiling_ as he watched it soar overhead. Valka's heart fluttered happily in her chest at the sight, enchanted to see her son responding so warmly, so _joyfully_ to dragons.

Hiccup took a few steps around the place, taking it all in. Toothless spotted them first, letting out a little grumble of warning up at them. Hiccup followed, showing a little surprise to see the two of them up there.

 _"This_ is where you've been for twenty years?"

Valka nodded, watching closely for his response. Hiccup blinked a few times, then looked back out at the dragons before he turned back to her.

"You... you've been rescuing them?"

She nodded again, heart starting to hammer in her chest.

"Unbelievable."

"Are you upset?"

Valka wasn't sure she wanted the answer, but couldn't stop the question falling from her mouth. Hiccup shuffled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yes. No. I don't know. It's a bit much to get my head around, to be frank! It's not every day you find out that not only is your dead mother _alive,_ she's some kind of crazy, feral vigilante dragon lady!"

Valka winced slightly as she slipped down Cloudjumper's wing, wary of approaching Hiccup but unable to help wanting to be closer to him.

"Well... at least I'm not boring, right?"

Hiccup snorted.

"No, I suppose there is that one specific thing."

Seeing that the new human was no threat - the only other person who had been in her nest was Eret, and he attacked Valka and died for it - the dragons had begun to edge closer. Sailback, one of her Thunderclaws, sniffed him and nudged Hiccup for attention, a particularly affectionate one who never turned down a little head scratch.

"Do you... do you like it?"

Hiccup patted the dragon awkwardly, various emotions flickering across his face.

"I don't have the words..."

He was interrupted by a growl from Toothless, who seemed to have had enough of the nest dragons getting closer and sniffing curiously at the newcomer. They'd not seen a Night Fury in _years,_ and very few other species came in such a dark hide all over them. It was uncommon for dragons to have _no_ colourful markings, too, but Night Furies didn't really. Just black scales and big eyes. Though they did have those funny little nubs on their ear fins and the little protrusions that grew as they aged.

"Can I?"

Valka gestured over at Toothless, and Hiccup nodded, curious expression on his face as she edged closer and crouched down, holding her hand out so Toothless could get her scent. Once he was happy to let her get closer, she rubbed his scaled head.

"Oh, he's beautiful!"

Valka had noticed he had what looked to be a replacement tailfin, attached to a stirrup system that ran along most of his body.

"He might well be the last of his kind. Wherever did you find him?"

She asked when Hiccup had been watching quietly for a minute, though she saw a small smile form on his face when Toothless responded to her so positively. The smile faded to a slightly sad look when he heard her question.

"Oh, I found him in the forest on Berk. He'd been shot down, he was wounded."

Valka frowned, looking around at her own wounded dragons.

"Who was it? Drago? Trappers? Hunters?"

Hiccup looked _very_ sheepish, and wouldn't quite meet her eye.

"Uh. Crazy thing. _I'm_ actually the one who shot him down" Valka's frown deepened further "but it's ok! He got me back, didn't you bud? You couldn't save all of me, you just had to make us even! So... peg leg!"

Hiccup lifted his leg, showing her the prosthetic she'd noticed but not dared ask about yet. It wasn't like she'd earned the right to his life story.

" _You_ shot him down?"

"Yeah. I uh, this was before we'd really met. I was desperate not to be a total outcast, so I built this bola shooting thing to make up for the fact I couldn't pick up a weapon without struggling. I was a _really_ scrawny teenager. And I fired the thing and hit something. I went to see what I'd got, cus obviously nobody believed me. And there he was, all tied up. I went there to kill him, but... I couldn't. I cut him free, but I'd torn up his tail so he couldn't fly. Started sneaking out to see him, tried to make friends. He did _not_ like me at first."

Toothless warbled, letting out a draconic laugh and bumping his head against Hiccup affectionately.

"Some are hard to win over. How did you make his tail?"

"At first, I just made a prosthetic fin. That didn't work cus he couldn't move it up and down. So I made one I could pull up, but I kept falling off. Made a saddle, then made a thing that attaches me to the saddle" he let out a chuckle "and then figured out something like this, where I could make the fin do different positions based on the foot pedals. Gobber rebuilt it after I lost my leg, and he also designed my first prosthetic and made the two match up. I designed this one myself, but, well, Gobber taught me everything I know."

Valka nodded slowly, fascinated by the whole process, and adoring how Hiccup had so quickly thought about how to rehabilitate Toothless. And there must have been _so_ much trust in that stirrup system for the saddle, with Toothless trusting Hiccup to always move his tail fin the way the dragon needed. And it was made especially to fit Hiccup's own prosthetic. Incredible!

"That's... amazing. Inspired. I've been treating wounded dragons for years and never thought to build prosthetic fins. Though I was never all that good at forging. Much better at leatherwork and sewing."

Hiccup chuckled, running a hand over his flight gear.

"Yeah, I'm pretty good at those too. I made this flight suit. And I had a growth spurt the last couple of years, I was constantly making new clothes. Good practice."

Valka admired his gear, nodding. Her heart stuttered slightly in her chest, guilt surging as the words _"you didn't get any skill in needlework from your father"_ rested on her tongue. For all she knew, Stoick had had to _learn_ to sew because she wasn't there. And now, he was...

"Excuse me a moment. Stay here, meet the dragons. I suppose I don't need to tell you they mean no harm."

Hiccup nodded.

"I know. Are you alright?"

Valka couldn't lie to his face, not when he looked so earnest in his concern. So she made a non-committal noise and left him there with the dragons, escaping down a corridor to try and catch her breath. She _had_ to tell him. Valka had let down her son enough times. Lying to him now was selfish. Feeling older than she could ever remember, Valka straightened up and went back to where Hiccup was sat on the floor, playing with some baby Gronckles.

"Hiccup."

He looked around, smile fading to a more pensive look.

"Yeah?"

"I... I need to tell you something."

She felt sick as she struggled to find the words, watching Hiccup stand up and approach her slowly. Valka knew he wouldn't want to get any closer once she told him.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry. But... he... your father is dead."

The colour drained out of Hiccup's face immediately, his freckles stark against his white cheeks.

_"What?"_

"The dragons and I were out on a rescue, and we ran into some ships. I had no idea they were there! Or that Berk had started _riding_ dragons!"

Hiccup stook several steps back, expression clearly one of horror.

"Did... did _you_ kill him?"

"I don't know. Not directly. I was getting dragons out of cages, the ships were destroyed, and then he was pulled out of the water and he was wounded. Fatally. I had a dragon take he and Gobber back to Berk. You must have already left Berk."

Hiccup turned away from her and threw up on the ground, shaking. Valka ached to comfort him, but even her rusty people skills told her her efforts would not be welcomed.

"He... they were looking for _me!_ He told me not to go, but noooo, I had to go try and find Drago Bludvist!"

Valka blanched.

"Drago? Why would you be looking for _him?"_

Hiccup fell to his knees, still trembling.

"Doesn't matter. I... I have to go back to Berk. Oh gods..."

At a total loss for what to do, Valka simply stood there. She'd never been so uncertain in her _life_ until then. Hiccup coughed a few times, then turned to Toothless, who was shuffling at his side and letting out low, sad sounds. His dragon let Hiccup grip his head to help him stand, unsteady on his legs.

"You're coming back with me."

Hiccup said, stunning Valka completely.

"W-what?"

His face was set in hard lines, and he wasn't looking directly at her.

"You said you're not sure. _I_ need to be sure. You killed the Chief. Your own _husband._ You can't just get away with that."

It seemed some Chief training had already been done with Hiccup, and though it looked unnatural, some part of him seemed to be trying to assume his new role.

"You want me to come back for my own execution?"

"No. I wouldn't do that to... _them."_ Hiccup gestured to the dragons all around them. "Your sentence is my choice now. If you're found guilty, you'll be banished and we will never see each other again. If you _didn't..._ if this was an accident, then... maybe one day I'll be able to face you again."

"Hiccup..."

He turned away, body still completely rigid.

"This isn't a negotiation. I don't want a fire fight, don't make me have to come back here with others to bring you to Berk."

"There wouldn't be a fight. I could make your dragons turn back without a scale out of place. If you'll give me a moment, I'll show you why."

She had no idea what might happen on Berk, and Valka didn't want Hiccup to never know. He turned back a little, still not meeting her eye.

"Is this a trick?"

"No tricks. Just something I want you to see. Just walk over here with me."

When Hiccup didn't move, Valka bit back a pained sigh.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

It hurt that he didn't trust her, but Valka knew he had no _reason_ to. She took a few steps that way, showing that she would go first. Hiccup hesitated, but eventually followed. It wasn't that far' only the angle of the rocky cliff they stood up on had stopped Hiccup seeing him to begin with.

"Oh my gods... what is _that?_ "

"Hiccup, meet the Alpha. The great Bewilderbeast."

"The... Alpha?"

"Every nest has its Queen, but this is the _King_ of all dragons. This graceful giant built our nest" she pointed up to the icy ceiling above, where he'd sealed them in safely "to give dragons everywhere a safe haven. He has influence over all dragons, though he would never abuse it. But he would protect me, as I am part of his nest. So if you brought other riders back, he'd turn your dragons away, and they could not deny him."

As they stood, talking, the Alpha stirred and straightened up. Hiccup gasped as he rose to full height, spines on his head flaring up. He looked at Hiccup, then over at Valka. She bowed her head, and he did the same in return.

"Whoa. The _Alpha_ bows to you?"

"We have a common goal, and a mutual respect. He's my son."

The second part was addressed to the Bewilderbeast. He leant in and sniffed them both, a small rumble in his chest before he let out a breath of ice, sprinkling Hiccup with a glittering coat.

"Is that bad?"

"No. He likes you. Or at least believes you to be no threat. The last human here was not so innocent."

Hiccup frowned.

"The last human here? Who else was here?"

"A hunter. He's dead."

"Did the Alpha kill him? Wait, what was a hunter doing here?"

She could still remember Eret. Many of her memories had begun to blur, but memories of him lingered occasionally.

"I brought him here. A moment of madness thinking I could change his mind... but he was just like all the others. And no, the Alpha didn't kill him. I did."

Hiccup fell silent, staring at the Alpha and brushing the ice from his hair.

"How many others did you kill?"

"Hundreds likely died in the fire fights. I never stopped to count. If you mean _personally?_ Quite a few. Some in one on one fights, some in taverns. The trouble with hunters is that if they survive, they don't stop hurting dragons."

"Taverns? You went drinking with hunters?"

Valka shrugged.

"Not quite. Men often underestimate a lady all alone. It doesn't take much to get them on their own."

Hiccup blinked.

"You... _seduced_ hunters to _kill_ them?"

"Yes."

"So when you attacked the ship my dad was on, you just saw another hunter to kill?"

"The ship was attacked so we could free the dragons. If your father died because of it, it was not directly intentional. The dragons are always the priority. I intended to leave the hunters that had been aboard the ship to drown, unless the dragons took it upon themselves."

Hiccup contemplated her quietly.

"You make the dragons kill for you?"

" _Make_ them? Gods, no. They defend themselves. Surely you know about that, living on Berk. I've killed many more to protect them than they have to protect me. And I could never do anything to them that the Alpha disapproved of, or he would have taken care of me himself."

Hiccup absorbed her words for a moment, then turned away.

"We should get going."

Though there were few things Valka wanted _less_ than to return to Berk, she also knew that the tiny chance of her son not hating her forever was enough to make her go. So she turned to the Alpha.

"I have to go out for a little while, but I'll be back soon... wait, Hiccup?"

"What?"

"Cloudjumper will be safe on Berk?"

Hiccup frowned.

"Of course. Why wouldn't he be?"

"You said I had to stand trial. He's too big to fit where I remember that happening."

"Oh. No. They happen in the main hall now. Plenty big enough. We've adapted a lot of things to allow for dragons."

That, she _was_ curious about.

"Alright then. I need to check on the sick and wounded before I leave."

"Right. Of course. Dragons first."

He followed, watching as Valka made sure the dragons were safe to be left for a while. She soothed an anxious Raincutter with a badly injured wing, cooing as she stroked his snout.

"I know, I know. I won't be gone too long. Get some rest."

"What kind of dragon is that?"

Hiccup asked, pointing over at one that was sleeping.

"Oh, Muddlehunt? He's a Gobsucker. Don't sneak up on them. They shoot fire from the back. And acid from the front. Gobsuckers will eat just about anything, and they're not too bright. Muddlehunt eats things he shouldn't and gets sick sometimes."

That actually made Hiccup laugh, lifting his darkened features into a smile for a brief moment.

"He'd get on great with Snotlout."

"Well, the dragons are alright for now. If we're going, let's go."

Her son nodded, and turned back to Toothless.

"Let's get going bud."

Cloudjumper could tell what was going on, and he was _not_ enamoured with the idea, Valka could tell. He clearly contemplated refusing to let her up on his back so they could leave, but eventually relented and lowered his head.

"No saddle?"

"No. I don't often fly sitting down."

She picked up her staff and helmet; her identity was hardly going to be a secret on Berk, but it kept the wind chill off her face when flying quickly, and Night Furies were quite quick so Cloudjumper would undoubtedly work to keep up. He was competitive like that.

Hiccup saddled up himself, casting one last look at the nest around them before he instructed his dragon to take off. With a grumble to remind her he wasn't happy, Cloudjumper spread his wings and they were soon up in the air. She had to lead them out, but then fell behind to follow Hiccup.

She'd never expected to return to Berk. And honestly, she wasn't so sure that it was a good idea now.

-HTTYD-

**Hopefully the actual finale won't take too long, but we'll see** **. But then you guys probably aren't surprised by now that I didn't adhere to chapter expectations... that happens a lot.**


End file.
